William Michael Albert Broad, known professionally as Billy Idol, is a Brit… Read Full Bio ↴William Michael Albert Broad, known professionally as Billy Idol, is a British singer, songwriter, musician and actor. He also holds United States citizenship. He first achieved fame in the 1970s emerging from the London punk rock scene as the lead singer of the group Generation X. Subsequently, he embarked on a solo career which led to international recognition and made Idol a lead artist during the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" in the US. The name "Billy Idol" was inspired by a schoolteacher's description of him as "idle".

Idol began his music career in late 1976 as a guitarist in the punk rock band Chelsea. However, he soon left the group. With his former bandmate Tony James, Idol formed Generation X. With Idol as lead singer, the band achieved success in the United Kingdom and released three studio albums on Chrysalis Records, then disbanded. In 1981, Idol moved to New York City to pursue his solo career in collaboration with guitarist Steve Stevens. His debut studio album, Billy Idol (1982), was a commercial success. With music videos for singles "Dancing with Myself" and "White Wedding" Idol soon became a staple of then newly-established MTV.

Idol's second studio album, Rebel Yell (1983), was a major commercial success, featuring hit singles "Rebel Yell" and "Eyes Without a Face". The album was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipment of two million copies in the US. In 1986, he released Whiplash Smile. Having accumulated three UK top 10 singles ("Rebel Yell", "White Wedding" and "Mony Mony"), Idol released a 1988 greatest hits album titled Idol Songs: 11 of the Best; the album went platinum in the United Kingdom. Idol then released Charmed Life (1990) and the concept album Cyberpunk (1993).

Idol spent the second half of the 1990s focusing on his personal life out of the public eye. He made a musical comeback with the release of Devil's Playground (2005) and again with Kings & Queens of the Underground (2014).

Auld Lang Syne
Billy Idol Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And (the) days of auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll take a cup of kindness yet, (cheer, my dear)
For auld lang syne.

Overall Meaning

The above lyrics are taken from Billy Idol’s interpretation of the famous traditional Scottish folk song “Auld Lang Syne” which means “Days Gone By”. The song is mostly played during New Year's Eve celebrations and is a call for the remembering of the good times shared over the past year, and also to remember old friendships that have been forgotten or lost over time. The first line in the song asks a poignant question, “should auld acquaintance be forgot?” the second line further expands on the idea that when we forget old friends and times gone by, it is as though they never existed at all.

The chorus is a hopeful response to the question posed in the opening line, calling on people to raise a glass of “kindness” and share a moment of reflection, friendship, and unity. “We'll take a cup of kindness yet” is an excellent reminder that even if the year has not been good, it is still possible to move forward with grace and kindness, and to be grateful for the friendships, connections, and memories made along the way.

Overall, the song attempts to strike a balance between a wistful nostalgia for what has come before and a hopeful celebration of what the future holds, with a reminder that it is only by remembering and appreciating our past that we can move forward in a meaningful and purposeful way.

Line by Line Meaning

Should auld acquaintance be forgot
Is it appropriate to forget old friendships?

And never brought to mind?
And not remember them at all?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot
Is it appropriate to forget old friendships?

And (the) days of auld lang syne?
And the moments we shared in the past?

For auld lang syne, my dear,
For the sake of old times, my love,

For auld lang syne,
For the sake of old times,

We'll take a cup of kindness yet, (cheer, my dear)
We'll still share a drink of love and compassion, (my love)

For auld lang syne.
For the sake of old times.

Contributed by Matthew O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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