Auld Lang Syne

DESCRIPTION: Recognized by the first line "Should auld acquaintance be forgot" and the chorus "For auld lang syne." Two old friends meet and remember their times together, ending by taking "a cup o' kindness."
AUTHOR: Adapted by Robert Burns
EARLIEST DATE: 1797
KEYWORDS: drink friend
FOUND IN: Britain US
REFERENCES (15 citations):
Fireside-Book-of-Folk-Songs, p. 76. "Auld Lang Syne" (1 text, 1 tune)
Silber/Silber-FolksingersWordbook, p. 381, "Auld Lang Syne" (1 text)
Fuld-BookOfWorldFamousMusic, pp. 115-117, "Auld Lang Syne"
Heart-Songs, p. 10, "Auld Lang Syne" (1 text, 1 tune)
Jolly-Miller-Songster-5thEd, #99, "Auld Lang Syne" (1 text)
Wolf-AmericanSongSheets, #70, p. 6, "Auld Lang Syne" (2 references)
Dime-Song-Book #5/72, p. 16 and #5/64, p. 16, "Auld Lang Syne" (1 text)
Harbin-Parodology, #195, p 52, "Auld Lang Syne" (1 text, with the ending modified but the first verse and chorus typical of American versions)
Rodeheaver-SociabilitySongs, p. 24, "Auld Lang Syne" (1 text, 1 tune)
BoyScoutSongbook1997, p. 89, "Auld Lang Syne" (1 text)
National-4HClubSongBook, p. 22, "Auld Lang Syne" (1 text, 1 tune)
Averill-CampSongsFolkSongs, p. 165, "Auld Lang Syne" (notes only)
Ford-SongHistories, pp. 1-12, "Auld Lang Syne" (1 text plus several ancestral texts)
DT, AULDLANG* AULDLNG2*
ADDITIONAL: James Kinsley, editor, Burns: Complete Poems and Songs (shorter edition, Oxford, 1969) #240, pp. 353-354, "Auld lang syne" (1 text, 1 tune, from 1788)
Roud #13892
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Johnson Ballads fol. 15, "Auld Lang Syne" ("Should auld acquaintance be forgot"), J. Catnach (London), 1822; also 2806 c.17(10), Johnson Ballads 260, Harding B 11(3613), Firth b.27(413), Johnson Ballads 155A, Harding B 11(3297), Harding B 16(8a), Harding B 36(29), "Auld Lang Syne"; Harding B 11(1172), Harding B 25(86), 2806 c.14(75), 2806 c.17(11), Harding B 11(2948), Harding B 11(1831), 2806 c.17(12), "Auld Langsyne"
LOCSinging, sb10012b, "Auld Lang Syne," J. Andrews (New York), 1853-1859; also as100470, as100480, "Auld Lang Syne"
SAME TUNE:
Bohunkus (Old Father Grimes, Old Grimes Is Dead) (File: R428)
The Patches on My Pants (File: Wels078A)
We're Here Because (File: BrPa037B)
The Wake of Bevington (File: PalWa052)
On Mules We Find Two Legs Behind (File: ACFS126A)
Advertise (It Pays to Advertise) (File: DTadverf)
We're Here for Fun (File: ACSF166W)
I Wish I Were a... (File: ACSF228I)
A Scabby Cousin Jack (File: LDC173)
A Smile Is Quite a Funny Thing/A Smile (Harbin-Parodology, #102, p. 29; Rodeheaver-SociabilitySongs, p, 125)
We Made Good Wobs Out There (Greenway-AmericanFolksongsOfProtest, p. 182)
The Salem Murder (Burt-AmericanMurderBallads, pp. 87-88); cf. the song on the suicide of Crowningshed which follows
The National Union ("Oh! who woiuld strike the recreant blow," by Charles Collins, Jr.) (Wolf-AmericanSongSheets p. 106)
Lafayette at Brandywine (Lawrence-MusicForPatriotsPoliticiansAndPresidents, p. 231)
The Psalm of Sammy Tilden ("In good Boss Tweed's successful days") (Lawrence-MusicForPatriotsPoliticiansAndPresidents, p. 461)
We'll Follow Grant Once More ("Oh! raise the banner high again," by Dexter Smith) (Wolf-AmericanSongSheets, p. 172)
John Bell of Tennessee ("There is a man of noble heart") (Wolf-AmericanSongSheets, p. 190)
To the Maryland Son of Revolutionary SIres! ("Ye sons of Sires, of manly deeds, who died for the love of right") (Wolf-AmericanSongSheets, p. 195)
"Should all my luggage be forgot" (Song by Charles Dodgson/Lewis Carroll in the mock opera "La Guida de Bragia"; cf. Donald Thomas, Lewis Carroll, A Biography, 1996 (references are to the 1999 Barnes & Noble paperback), p. 59)
William Henry Harrison campaign song ("What tho' the Hero's hard 'huge paws' Were wont to plow and sow?") (Paul F. Boller, Jr., _Presidential Campaigns_, second revised edition, Oxford University Press, p. 73)
Should Brave Soldiers Be Forgot (Harrison campaign song) (A. B. Norton, _Songs of the People in the Log Cabin Days of Old Tippecanoe_, p. 6)
The Log Cabin and Hard Cider Candidate ("Should good old cider be despised") (Harrison campaign song) (A. B. Norton, _Songs of the People in the Log Cabin Days of Old Tippecanoe_, p. 6)
The Farmer of North Bend ("Can grateful freemen slight his claims") (Harrison campaign song) (A. B. Norton, _Songs of the People in the Log Cabin Days of Old Tippecanoe_, p. 6)
"Hail sweetest, dearest tie that binds" (hymn by Amos Sutton)
Bells of Yale [by Theron Brown [Class of 18]56] ("O! sad the light must fall to-night, And pensive blow the gale") (Henry Randall Waite, _Carmina Collegensia: A Complete Collection of the Songs of the American Colleges_ first edition 1868, expanded edition, Oliver Ditson, 1876, p. 51)
Cannon Song ("Come, Seniors, come, and fill your pipes, Your richest incense raise") (Henry Randall Waite, _Carmina Collegensia: A Complete Collection of the Songs of the American Colleges_ first edition 1868, expanded edition, Oliver Ditson, 1876, p. 69)
Senior's Farewell ("Adieu, adieu, the parting scene Now weaves its wizard spell") (Henry Randall Waite, _Carmina Collegensia: A Complete Collection of the Songs of the American Colleges_ first edition 1868, expanded edition, Oliver Ditson, 1876, p. 83)
Full Far Away a CIty Stands (by Edward Nealley, [class of 18]58) ("Full far away a city stands, 'Mid threefold walls of years") (Henry Randall Waite, _Carmina Collegensia: A Complete Collection of the Songs of the American Colleges_ first edition 1868, expanded edition, Oliver Ditson, 1876, p. 120)
Hail to the Year ("Hail! brothers to the coming year With hope and promise bright") (Henry Randall Waite, _Carmina Collegensia: A Complete Collection of the Songs of the American Colleges_ first edition 1868, expanded edition, Oliver Ditson, 1876, p. 126)
Anniversary Ode (by E. H. Sears, [class of 18]34) ("We've wandered east, we've wandered west, Since through these walks we strayed") (Henry Randall Waite, _Carmina Collegensia: A Complete Collection of the Songs of the American Colleges_ first edition 1868, expanded edition, Oliver Ditson, 1876, p. 136)
Junior Supper Song ("Brothers, there'll beam in future years No clearer, brighter light") (by A. H. Bradford, [class of 18]67) (Henry Randall Waite, _Carmina Collegensia: A Complete Collection of the Songs of the American Colleges_ first edition 1868, expanded edition, Oliver Ditson, 1876, p. 18)
Memories ("Should Time e'er mar this happy band With mourning or with grief") (Henry Randall Waite, _Carmina Collegensia: A Complete Collection of the Songs of the American Colleges_ first edition 1868, expanded edition, Oliver Ditson, 1876, p. 28)
Parting Song ("Four years of life have passed away, Since first, poor 'Fresh,' we strayed") (Henry Randall Waite, _Carmina Collegensia: A Complete Collection of the Songs of the American Colleges_ first edition 1868, expanded edition, Oliver Ditson, 1876, p. 36)
Parting Ode ("The parting hour has come at last,-- That hour expected long") (Henry Randall Waite, _Carmina Collegensia: A Complete Collection of the Songs of the American Colleges_ first edition 1868, expanded edition, Oliver Ditson, 1876, p. 53)
Farewell Song ("Fill up a bowl of sparkling wine") (Henry Randall Waite, _Carmina Collegensia: A Complete Collection of the Songs of the American Colleges_ first edition 1868, expanded edition, Oliver Ditson, 1876, p. 89)
The Good Old Cornell Times ("The October day is dull and drear") (by C. F. Sweet, [class of 18]74) (Henry Randall Waite, _Carmina Collegensia: A Complete Collection of the Songs of the American Colleges_ first edition 1868, expanded edition, Oliver Ditson, 1876, p. 112)
To Calculus, Good Bye! ("Come Juniors, sing the parting song, The happy hour draws nigh!") (Henry Randall Waite, _Carmina Collegensia: A Complete Collection of the Songs of the American Colleges_ first edition 1868, expanded edition, Oliver Ditson, 1876, p. 120)
The Blooming Cook Fell Overboard (Abrahams/Riddle-ASingerAndHerSongs, p. 61)
Obligation Ode ("A solemn promise you have made, A patron true to be") (by A. P. Knapp) (Albert P. Knapp, _Grange Songster_, 1915, p. 6)
Song of the Ten Hour Workingmen ("I am a Ten hour workingman! I glory in the name") (Foner, p. 68)
Closing Ode [of the Knights of Labor] ("Again we meet, again we part, Again our work is done") (by "Ellis") (Foner, p. 146)
Dedication Hymn [of the Knights of Labor] ("Our fathers crossed a pathless sea, And sought a rock-bound shore") (by C. Fannie Allyn) (Foner, p. 150)
The Men of Auld Lang Syne ("Should old reformers be forgot Whose names resplendent shine") (Foner, p. 163)
When Workingmen Combine ("Should song and music be forgot When workingmen combine?") (Foner, p. 178)
Opening Song [of the Kaweah, Colorado cooperative colony] ("We here have now in council met, In freedom's ranks to serve") (by J. J. Martin) (Foner, p. 302)
Rallying Song ("Come bothers, raise a hearty song, To cheer us on our way; The fetters old of fate and wrong We cast away today") (by James P. Morton, Jr.) (Foner, p. 314)
Wherefore my Edward wilt thou Roam (Leslie Shepard, _John Pitts, Ballad Printer of Seven Dials, London 1765-1844_, Private Library Association, 1969, p. 106)
Lisping Song ("I with I were a little fith, I with I were a fith") (Harbin-Parodology, #32, p. 15)
Epworth Leagures from the Start (Harbin-Parodology, #149, p. 43)
Going to Cry ("Mr. ??? is going to cry") (Harbin-Parodology, #171, p. 48)
Auld Lang Syne Parody ("Let all acquaintance be forgot... We'll sing a song of friendship now For Leaguers everywhere") (Harbin-Parodology, #189, p. 50)
We're Glad ("We're glad, so glad, so vey glad, We're glad you're glad we're here") (Harbin-Parodology, #206, p. 53)
It Is Not Raining Rain to Me ("It is not raining rain to me: it's raining daffodils) (Harbin-Parodology, #212, p. 55)
NOTES [430 words]: This is a song that Burns rewrote (the putative original is in the Digital Tradition as AULDLNG3; compare also the broadside NLScotland, Ry.III.a.10(070), "Old Lang Syne," unknown, dated 1701 though there is no reason for this dating on the sheet); Fuld traces the "Should Auld Acquaintance" text to 1711 in James Watson's Scots Poems. Burns's own version was published in the Scots Musical Museum in 1796/7. This had a mostly traditional first verse, with the remainder by Burns, but by error the wrong melody was printed and has become the "traditional" tune.
Murray Shoolbraid offers these additional notes upon this topic:
"The Museum text is half-and-half, 2-3 being by Burns (about youthful days on the braes etc.) and the rest (seemingly) an old fragment. One can dispute this of course, for this old text first appears in SMM. Previously we have the 1711 version, 'Should old acquaintance be forgot / And never thought upon,' attributed to Sir Robert Aytoun (1570-1637/8), one of the first Scots poets to write in English (knighted by King James 1612; buried in Westminster Abbey). A bit later (1720) Allan Ramsay uses the incipit to start his own poem 'Should auld acquaintance be forgot,/ Though they return with scars?/ These are the noble hero's lot,/ Obtain'd in glorious wars.'
"These old versions go to the old tune printed in SMM: The songs that predate Burns [and B's words too] go to the old melody: in Mitchell's ballad opera The Highland Fair (1731), earliest in print in Playford's Collection of Original Scotch Tunes (1700), also sans title in Mgt Sinkler's MS., 1710 (the versions differ). The SMM version is from Neil Stewart's Scots Songs, 1772.
"So the tune is correct; it was Burns's Edinburgh publisher Thomson (Scotish Airs, 1799) who reset the words to another tune, I Fee'd a Lad at Martinmas, otherwise called The Miller's Wedding/Daughter. This is the one we all sing it to today." - (MS), RBW
As regards the words, both Ford-SongHistories and Maurice Lindsay, The Burns Encyclopedia, 1959, 1970; third edition, revised and enlarged, St. Martin's Press, 1980, pp. 14-17, agree with the broad outline supplied by Shoolbraid. There is some disagreement about just what fraction of the common words Burns wrote.
Several sources are of the opinion that the tune Thomson set is better than the traditional tune Burns supplied. - RBW
Broadside LOCSinging sb10012b: J. Andrews dating per Studying Nineteenth-Century Popular Song by Paul Charosh in American Music, Winter 1997, Vol 15.4, Table 1, available at FindArticles site. - BS
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File: FSWB381B

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