Listen: ‘Auld Lang Syne’ (& ‘Loch Lomond’)
For Dreaming Of: Times Long Past
The Scottish song played around the world on New Year’s Eve
Music
While many of us are familiar with the famous ‘Auld Lang Syne’ played at the start of every new year, not many know that it's actually Scottish. The lyrics, from renowned Scottish poet Robert Burns, are roughly translated to mean “for old time’s sake” and are meant to be a sort of farewell. For this reason, it is also heard at funerals and other holiday events.
In Scotland, it is common practice at midnight on New Year's Eve for everyone to join hands with the person next to them, and form a large circle around the dance floor. At the beginning of the last verse everyone crosses their arms across their chest, so that the right hand reaches out to the neighbor on the left, before releasing during the final verse. In most cases, ‘Auld Lang Syne’ is followed by ‘Loch Lomond,’ an emotional Scottish folk song about two soldiers in battle with England.
Take a listen:
One of our favorite bands, Pink Martini, created an unconventionally more upbeat version of the song that we also enjoy.
Photo Source: Wikipedia
Syllogi’s ‘Musings’ is a series helping you paint a picture of a destination while traveling from your living room. From relevant books and articles, inspiring movies and tv shows, to songs and even treats and dishes, our goal is to curate a sensory experience that will prepare you for an upcoming trip, reminiscence on adventures past, or simply to envision a place that exists in your bucket list fantasies.
