America's STORYTELLE
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking
http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com
December 31, 2014
New Year's Eve
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| Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood |
The song, Auld Lang Syne, is known in many countries, and traditionally sung at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve,
to say "Goodbye" to the old year.
Robert Burns, is credited with writing the lyrics to the song, Auld Lang Syne. Burns wrote a poem in 1788, that was set to the tune of an old Scottish folk song.
I never liked the lyrics to the song, Auld Lang Syne. This year my grandchildren's high school orchestra played a different and beautiful rendition of Auld Lang Syne, and I loved it. There were no words to get in the way - just beautiful music.
What do those words that everyone sings on New Year's Eve mean, anyway? I've sung it so many times in the past 50 years that the words have become a blur.
I thought of the opening line on the song as a statement that old friends should be forgotten.
It appears the words are a rhetorical question.
Should old acquaintances be forgot?
Have the flames of love extinguished?
Has your heart grown cold?
Can you never once reflect on (auld laang syne) days gone by?
I'll add a question mark to the lyrics.
Should Old Acquaintance be forgot,
and never thought upon?????????
The flames of Love extinguished,
and fully past and gone:
Is thy sweet Heart now grown so cold,
that loving Breast of thine;
That thou canst never once reflect
On Old long syne???????
- CHORUS:
- On Old long syne my Jo,
On Old long syne,
That thou canst never once reflect,
On Old long syne??????????????
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auld_Lang_Syne
Consequently "For auld lang syne", as it appears in the first line of the chorus, might be loosely translated as "for (the sake of) old times".
The phrase "Auld Lang Syne" is also used in similar poems by Robert Ayton (1570–1638), Allan Ramsay (1686–1757), and James Watson (1711) as well as older folk songs predating Burns.[5] Matthew Fitt uses the phrase "In the days of auld lang syne" as the equivalent of "Once upon a time..." in his retelling of fairy tales in the Scots language.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auld_Lang_Syne
http://folkmusic.about.com/od/folksongs/qt/AuldLangSyne.htm
The literal meaning of "Auld Lang Syne" is "Old Long Since," or "Long,
Long Ago."
The lyrics talk about raising a toast to days gone by and all
the joyous adventures embarked upon between friends.
"Should old acquaintance be forgot /
and never brought to mind? /
Should old acquaintance be forgot /
and days o' lang syne?"
These lines ask whether one can forget the days that have gone by and the friends with whom those days have been spent.
Consecutive verses recall those days, before ending with the verse:
And there’s a hand my trusty friend
And give us a hand o’ thine
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.
Read the full lyrics of "Auld Lang Syne" or purchase/download James Taylor's version of the song.
http://folkmusic.about.com/od/folksongs/qt/AuldLangSyne.htm
Tonight, I will make a toast,
a "cup of kindness"
for days gone by,
and for past loves, and old friends.
I'll drink a cup of my homemade wassail
for auld lang syne.
for auld lang syne.
Some call this Marcia's Fire Water!
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| Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood |
Happy
New Year!
RECIPE: Wassail:
Melt one package red hots (candy)
into one gallon
apple cider.
Simmer on LOW in a pan on the stove.
STIR CONSTANTLY until all the red hots melt.
Serve HOT.
This is simple and delicious!
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| Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood |
Watch for my upcoming
New Year's Day 2015 Blog:
"Repairer of Broken Walls."
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| Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood |
Have you experienced loss this year?
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| Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood |
Have family, finances,
hopes and dreams
hopes and dreams
collapsed, decayed,
or been destroyed in 2014?
or been destroyed in 2014?
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| Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood |
Do you think
things have been damaged irreparably?
I'm praying for you.
Don't give up.
I bring a message of HOPE.
Watch for my upcoming
New Year's Day 2015 Blog:
"Repairer of Broken Walls."
Thanks for stopping by!
Come back often, and invite a friend!
Marcia Norwood
America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking
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