Auld Lang Syne lyrics: words, meaning explained and origin of the song - why do we sing it at New Year?

Auld Lang Syne will be sung by many as the New Year begins
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The clock will soon be striking midnight to welcome in 2023.

Families across the UK will have their own traditions for marking the start of the New Year, but is likely that you will find yourself singing Auld Lang Syne a time or two.

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It is a classic tune, but how well do you actually know the lyrics? If you are preparing to ring in 2023, you will want to familiarise yourself with the words before the clock ticks down to midnight.

Here is all you need to know:

What are the lyrics to Auld Lang Syne?

The full lyrics to the song are as follows, according to Classic.FM:

First verse

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

Second verse

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And surely ye’ll be your pint-stoup!and surely I’ll be mine!And we’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet,for 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

Third verse

We twa hae run about the braes,and pou’d the gowans fine;But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit,sin’ auld lang syne

Who wrote Auld Lang Syne?

Eileen Brown would invite Scotland’s most famous poet Robert Burns around for dinner. Eileen Brown would invite Scotland’s most famous poet Robert Burns around for dinner.
Eileen Brown would invite Scotland’s most famous poet Robert Burns around for dinner.

The lyrics for the traditional New Year song is based on a poem by Robert Burns. It was written in Scots-language in 1788 and is based on an older Scottish folk song.

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It was first set to music in 1799, with a traditional tune used. Auld Lang Syne translates literally as ‘old long since’ into English, but can also be understood to mean ‘long, long ago’, ‘times long past’ and ‘days gone by’.

In the chorus ‘for auld lang syne’ can be loosley translated as ‘for the sake of old times’. The initial line of the song begins with the rhetorical question: is it right that old times be forgotten.

Why do we sing Auld Lang Syne at New Year’s?

After Robert Burns’ poem was set to music in 1799, it quickly became a Scots custom to sing it at Hogmanay or New Year’s Eve gatherings. It soon began to spread to the rest of the British Isles and was taken to other parts of the world as Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish people emigrated.

The song is widely used to symbolise endings and new beginnings, which is why it has become a common New Year’s tradition. In Scotland it is common for people to join hands and form a circle around the dancefloor while singing Auld Lang Syne.

Is Auld Lang Syne sung at other times of the year?

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The song might be most notably associated with New Year’s Eve, it can also be sung at events throughout the year. It may be sung at the end of a Burns supper, on Burns Night (25 January).

Auld Lang Syne is played during the final stages of the annual Edinburgh Military Tattoo. In Scotland it is also often sung at the end of cèilidh and at weddings.

It can also be sung at graduations, Scout jamborees, funerals and other forms of farewells. Auld Lang Syne has also been translated into other languages and was the anthem for the Korean exile government from 1919 to 1945, with the melody being used as Korea’s national anthem from 1945 to 1948.

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