Auld Lang Syne – Robert Burns (Traditional)
The music is a Scots-language poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and set to the tune of a traditional folk song. It is well known in many countries, especially in the English-speaking world, its traditional use being to bid farewell to the old year at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve (see the lyrics below).
We play the tune as a flute – guitar duo, in an arrangement by F. Frijns. The flute part is played by Telaadie, who always makes my video's, including this one.
In the video you see pictures of - what is called in The Netherlands - a ‘poezie album’, a poetry book. Young girls ask their friends and family to write a short poem and to decorate it with drawings or pictures. The poems comprise mostly of good wishes for the future. It's a way of remembering old friends when browsing through the book.
The first 'autograph books' appeared in German and Dutch linguistic regions by the mid-16th century, known as an album amicorum ("book of friends").
Traditionally they were exchanged among friends, colleagues, and classmates to fill with poems, drawings, personal messages, small pieces of verse, and other mementos.
With this video we wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy new year!
Lyrics
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and days of auld lang syne?
refrein:
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.
refrein
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.
refrein
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.
refrein
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.