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