Friday, December 29, 2006

Since I'll be Working

The lot of a musician is that most folk's holidays, celebrations, ceremonies, and the like, are another day at the office for me. I'll be mostly on the road back and forth to California for a "command" performance New Year's Eve. One of the reasons I got the gig is that I do the Robbie Burn's version of Auld Lang Syne (not the Jacobite). It's a song with noble sentiments. Guy Lombardo should be flogged in hell for what he did to it. It can be done with the backing of the harp (my version) although, a piper, just makes it nice.

Burns told his publisher that he had written this song, tune and all, down from the singing of an old highlander, he was certain that it had never been published or documented. Without any further ado, I give you


Auld Lang Syne (1788)

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!
For auld lang syne, my dear,
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, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

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.
Sin' auld lang syne, my dear,
Sin' auld lang syne,
We've wander'd mony a weary fit,
Sin' auld lang syne!

We twa hae paidl'd in the burn,
Frae morning sun till dine;
Bra' seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin' auld lang syne.
Sin' auld lang syne, my dear,
Sin' auld lang syne,
Bra' seas between us, braid hae roar'd
Sin' auld lang syne.

And there's a hand, my trusty fere!
And gie's a hand o' thine!
And we'll tak a right gude willie-waught,
For auld lang syne.
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a right gude willie-waught
For auld lang syne.


(if you are having trouble with the Scots dialect here's a translation kindly posted)
I likes my Burns like I liked my whiskey. Straight.
Best wishes to all for the coming year.

Big Brass Blog

5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

OK, you have a facility with languages. What the Hell does "auld lang syne" mean in English, anyway?

- oddjob

11:45 AM  
Blogger The Minstrel Boy said...

a literal from the scots gaelic would be "old time gone"

times gone by is fairly true to the mark also.

12:30 PM  
Blogger Pogo said...

MB, as always, travel safely. You may be dry, but a lot of the shitty drivers out there aren't.

1:30 PM  
Blogger The Minstrel Boy said...

this time of year especially, i'm very aware of the number of impaired drivers out there. because i'm hauling my instruments and mom i'm taking the big ass blue bird bus. inertia and american steel are going to be on my side. once i get to the place i'm playing i intend to park, and stay right on site. no driving around at all for when the stupids are out.

1:52 PM  
Blogger Deborah Newell said...

A day late, but what the hell. Happy New Year, my friend, to you and your Mom and your talented family.

2007 will be magnificent. Because I said so!

XX
D.

9:04 AM  

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