Thursday, January 2, 2014

For Auld Lang Syne My Dear?



So it’s the New Year; a time for resolutions and a time to let go of the year behind and plan for the year ahead. It is a strange time of finality and possibility, because the year behind is now done and there is nothing else that can be done differently, while the year ahead is full of infinite possibilities of what can change and what can be accomplished. I am trying to stay on the positive side of it all and think that this year has some much better things in store for me or more specifically that I will accomplish more of what I have set out to accomplish.

Traditionally New Years is perceived as positive and hopeful, but one thing I have always felt is that there is indeed a sadness to it all. One thing that has always evoked these feelings is the traditional song sung for New Years Auld Lang Syne.  I for some reason have always found this song to be rather melancholic, but then I decided to look into the song a bit more and find out the roots and what it actually means.

Auld Lang Syne was actually a poem written by one of my favorite Scottish poets, Robert Burns, in 1788. The Scottish phrase Auld Lang Syne can be roughly translated as “long long ago” or “days gone by.” In the poem the phrase is more closely translated as “for the sake of old times” or “for the sake of days gone by.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auld_Lang_Syne

When listening to the song I always felt that the line “should old acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind” was a very sad sentiment. Indeed there are so many people that come into our lives and then end up leaving our lives and we may never see them again, and I guess that’s how life goes, but remembering all of the people who are no longer in your life can be a seriously depressing task. What is more, these people have left their mark on your life in some way, and you would only hope that you have left your mark on theirs. So to say that these acquaintances should be forgotten is not only sad, but it borders on cruel; it means to forget a lot of meaningful memories and instances that have helped to shape you into who you are.

I’m going to say something now that you will probably never hear again, and indeed there are people in my life who would love to hear me say this, so listen carefully: I was wrong. In fact, the sentiments of the song are the complete opposite. The song is not about forgetting those who are no longer in your life, but is actually about taking the time to remember them. New Years in general is a time for self reflection and growth; we make New Year’s resolutions that we feel will lead to a more happy, fulfilled, and successful year, but just as we look ahead we in fact also look back. This is what the song is actually about, this retrospection with introspection, looking back as well as looking within.

One thing I never got about the song, and indeed no one will get unless they read the poem or already know it, is that the first line is not a statement but is actually a question. The speaker in the poem is not stating that old acquaintances should be forgotten, but is instead asking the question….should old acquaintances be forgotten? The answer is a resounding no. The speaker then recounts growing up with this friend, but then life taking them far away from each other. At this point in the New Year, however, when the speaker is to be looking ahead, he is also taking the time to remember this friend, their friendship, and the good times they had long ago. He then drinks to the friendship and drinks for old time’s sake. So, the real sentiments of this poem, then, are not of forgetting and moving forward, but are of taking the time to remember.

Indeed, the New Year should be a time of evaluating what you would like to achieve out of the coming year, but since you have only gotten to this point because of where you have been and because of who has been with you along the way, it should be a time of contemplating the past as well. Therefore, it only makes sense that the planning for the future year is accompanied with a retrospection of years past. Only when you acknowledge where you have been can you really move forward.


Now knowing the actual meaning of this song, I find it a lot more positive and cheerful. I hope that if this has be bothering any of you, that you found this helpful and insightful.   


Burns’ original Scots verse

English translation
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.
CHORUS
We twa hae run about the braes,
and pu’d the gowans fine ;
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit,
sin auld lang syne.
CHORUS
We twa hae paidl’d i' the burn,
frae morning sun till dine ;
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
sin auld lang syne.
CHORUS
And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere !
and gie's a hand o’ thine !
And we’ll tak a right gude-willy waught,
for auld lang syne.
CHORUS
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.
CHORUS
We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine ;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.
CHORUS
We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine
 ;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.
CHORUS
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.
CHORUS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPnhaGWBnys


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