Auld Lang Syne
In a video, Mariah Carey challenges, after her blooper, “Does anybody really know the words?” (2:24).
Let us answer her: YES!
Does it say “many” or “mony”? Compared with other cases on the same manuscript — “an” in lang, manuscript, gowans, man and wander’d, the “on” in song and done, and the “om” in from — it appears he wrote “mony,” as an “a” would have a tail.
Does anybody really know the words?
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The image is at http://themorgan.org/node/2774/zoomify
The image above is hosted at http://www.themorgan.org/exhibitions/online/AuldLangSyne/zoom.asp?id=9 and shows an autograph of Robert Burns, sending the lyrics to George Thomson. Learn more (13 pages more). Also note: The Robert Burns Birthplace Museum shows a manuscript fragment, perhaps the original on which Burns “took it down.” Burns Museum. |
One Song more & I have done — Auld lang syne
The air is but mediocre; but the following song, the old song of the olden times, & which has never been in print, nor even in manuscript, untill I took it down from an old man’s singing; is enough to recommend any air — Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And days o’ lang syne? 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 pu’t the gowans fine; But we’ve wander’d mony a weary foot, Sin auld lang syne.— For auld lang &c.— We twa hae paidlet i’ the burn, Frae mornin sun till dine: But seas between us braid hae roar’d, Sin auld lang syne.— For auld &c. And there’s a hand, my trusty feire, And gie’s a hand o’ thine; And we’ll tak a right gude-willie waught, For auld lang syne.— For auld &c.— 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.— For auld &c. |
<SARCASM>
So now, let’s sing a song about taking a pint cup of draught to salute the olden days, as we raise our champagne glasses for a toast to a year scarcely 30 seconds underway.
</SARCASM> Speaking of which, there will be no leap second at the end of December 2013, according to NIST.
| Word tricks:
Before midnight: So who do you think wins the Superbowl this year? ...the Baltimore Ravens already won the Superbowl this year, 2013. Bar patron: You know how they play “Auld Lang Syne” on December 31st? Other patron: Yeah, what about it? Bar patron: No! They play “Auld Lang Syne” on the morning of January first! After midnight: Parent: Hey kids, don’t forget you have school tomorrow. Kids: No, tomorrow is a holiday. Parent: No, it is now the first of January, which is a holiday, so tomorrow is the second day of January, and there is school. Parent: Wow! You’ll be going to high school next year! Seventh grader: No, I’m going into eighth grade next year. Parent: No, you will be starting eighth grade later this year. | or Midnight Blues It can be the toughest night of the year for some persons. Maybe you can help. |
You can download the chimes (the 16 quarter notes) or bells (12:00) of Big Ben for your ring tone or other use. Click here. By the way, the first strike of Big Ben (after the 16 quarter notes and 7-second pause) is the time signal, unlike in the Cinderella drama where midnight is the last strike.
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