For Auld Lang Syne

Should Aulde Acquaintance Be Forgot?

And never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot?

And days of auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear

For auld lang syne

We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet

For auld lang syne

Burns’ original Scots verse

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

and auld lang syne?

CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my jo,

for auld lang syne,

we’ll tak' a cup o’ kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

And surely ye’ll be your pint-stoup!

and surely I’ll be mine!

And we’ll tak' a cup o’ kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

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.

CHORUS

We twa hae paidl’d in the burn,

frae morning sun till dine;

But seas between us braid hae roar’d

sin' auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere!

and gie's a hand o’ thine!

And we’ll tak' a right gude-willie waught,

for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

English translation

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind?

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and old lang syne?

CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my dear,

for auld lang syne,

we'll take a cup of kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup!

and surely I’ll buy mine!

And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have run about the slopes,

and picked the daisies fine;

But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,

since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have paddled in the stream,

from morning sun till dine†;

But seas between us broad have roared

since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there’s a hand my trusty friend!

And give me a hand o’ thine!

And we’ll take a right good-will draught,

for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

Scots pronunciation guide

Shid ald akwentans bee firgot,

an nivir brocht ti mynd?

Shid ald akwentans bee firgot,

an ald lang syn?

CHORUS:

Fir ald lang syn, ma jo,

fir ald lang syn,

wil tak a cup o kyndnes yet,

fir ald lang syn.

An sheerly yil bee yur pynt-staup!

an sheerly al bee myn!

An will tak a cup o kyndnes yet,

fir ald lang syn.

CHORUS

We twa hay rin aboot the braes,

an pood the gowans fyn;

Bit weev wandert monae a weery fet,

sin ald lang syn.

CHORUS

We twa hay pedilt in the burn,

fray mornin sun til dyn;

But seas between us bred hay roard

sin ald lang syn.

CHORUS

An thers a han, my trustee feer!

an gees a han o thyn!

And we’ll tak a richt gude-willie-waucht,

fir ald lang syn.

CHORUS

As this song is sung, the people join hands in a circle facing each other.

At the beginning of the last verse, everyone lets loose of each other’s hands, crosses their arms in front of them, and rejoins their crossed hands with those next to them.

Then at the final chorus everyone goes forward to the center of the circle and  turn around together without letting go of each other’s hands – which leaves them with arms uncrossed again in their circle, only facing outward this time.

Some content from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auld_Lang_Syne ... not a big wiki fan but there are a couple of audio clips there too ... one from 1910 or so by a guy who rrrolls his rrrrrs. Have a listen if you find a minute.