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You’re not alone if you’ve only been able to mumble along to the first few lines of Auld Lang Syne at New Year.
Not many people know the words to the tune and it’s likely that fewer still know the meaning behind it, so here’s a quick explainer to impress your friends and family with later…
Who wrote the song?
Scottish poet and lyricist Robert Burns wrote Auld Lang Syne in 1788.
He claimed to have transcribed the text as he listened to an old man singing a traditional song. It’s not clear who exactly wrote the music to accompany the lyrics.
What is Auld Lang Syne about?
The song title, which translates literally into standard English as “Old Long Since” or “For Old Times’ Sake”, is a song that is meant to spark reflection.
The lyrics are about old friends having a drink and recalling adventures they had long ago; there is no specific reference to the New Year.
Burns’s song first found a home in the annual Scottish Hogmanay tradition, but gradually spread to other countries around the world, where it now famously blares out every New Year’s Eve.
What are the lyrics?
The song tends to last two minutes and 22 seconds. The version we hear as the clock strikes midnight is one verse and the chorus, but the full version has five verses.
The English lyrics are as follows:
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
And old lang syne?
(Chorus)
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
And surely you’ll buy your pint cup!
And surely I’ll buy mine!
And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
We two have run about the slopes,
And picked the daisies fine;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
Since auld lang syne.
We two have paddled in the stream,
From morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared
Since auld lang syne.
And there’s a hand my trusty friend!
And give me a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
For auld lang syne.
But if you prefer the original Scots version…
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?
(Chorus)
For auld lang syne, my jo,
For auld lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
And surely ye’ll be your pint-stowp!
And surely I’ll be mine!
And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
We twa hae run about the braes
And pu’d the gowans fine;
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary foot
Sin auld lang syne.
We twa hae paidl’d i’ the burn,
Frae mornin’ sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
Sin auld lang syne.
And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere!
And gie’s a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll tak a right guid willy waught,
For auld lang syne.
