What Does Auld Lang Syne Mean?

What does Auld Lang Syne mean?

No song is as inextricably linked to a specific moment as the singing of Auld Lang Syne at midnight on New Year’s Eve. A countdown begins as the clock counts down to midnight New Year’s. Then kisses are exchanged, confetti or balloons drop, and everyone sings Auld Lang Syne. The symbolism of New Year’s Eve is obvious. Everyone hopes that the coming year will bring more happiness, better health, prosperity, and love.

Given my love of New York City, it probably should not surprise you that I have indeed stood in Times Square on New Year’s Eve and celebrated along with millions of other people from across the globe. There was a festive mood as the old year faded away and the new year came in. After everyone hears Auld Lang Syne in Times Square, the song “New York New York” blares is out, and everyone sings. Surprisingly, the party dissipates very quickly, and by sunrise that morning, the fantastic cleanup crews have performed their magic Time Square is back to normal.

On a personal note, I must admit that ‘once was enough’ when it came to standing for hours in the bone-chilling cold, waiting for the gorgeous ball to drop!

Whether you are celebrating New Year’s Eve in Times Square or a small family gathering, or anything in between, the one constant seems to be Auld Lang Syne. It’s the only time we ever hear it, and very few people know what it means.

What does Auld Lang Syne mean?

“The song that nobody knows” is derived from a Scottish poet Robert Burns’s poem in 1788. Burns said it did. He associated it with an older man drinking. “Auld Lang Syne” translates literally as “old long since.” To which your response is probably more confusion than clarity! So let’s translate it into modern English. The song is associated with a long tradition of singing and drinking. So when you stumble over the words, At least you can know what they mean.

The opening line, “Should auld acquaintance be forgot/And never brought to mind,” is a rhetorical question. A modern translation would be “should old friendships be forgotten and never thought about?”

A modern translation for Auld Lang Syne would be “the old days” or “times gone by.” You are singing to the memory of happy friendships and events in your life.

While the rhyme scheme will not fit the music because we are translating from one language to another, here’s what you sing on New Year’s Eve:

Should old friendships be forgotten?

And never thought about?

Should old acquaintances be forgotten,

As well as the good old days?

For the good times that are gone, my friend,

For all the good old days,

Let’s drink a toast of happiness,

And remember the good old days!

Burns’s original poem had five verses that celebrated all the fun things that the singer had done with their friends in past years. But for us, one verse is enough – especially when it begins and ends with a kiss!

So the next time you wonder what Auld Lang Syne means, just remember that it is a beautiful lyric that reminds us never to forget all of our beautiful life experiences and friendships.