Auld Lang Syne
Dan-Air Scottish Pipe Band Lyrics


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Met my old lover in the grocery store
The snow was falling Christmas Eve
I stood behind her in the frozen foods
And I touched her on the sleeve

She didn't recognize the face at first
But then her eyes flew open wide
She went to hug me and she spilled her purse
And we laughed until we cried

We took her groceries to the check out stand
The food was totaled up and bagged
We stood there lost in our embarrassment
As the conversation lagged

We went to have ourselves a drink or two
But couldn't find an open bar
We bought a six-pack at the liquor store
And we drank it in her car

We drank a toast to innocence
We drank a toast to now
We tried to reach beyond the emptiness
But neither one knew how

She said she's married her an architect
Who kept her warm and safe and dry
She would have liked to say she loved the man
But she didn't like to lie

I said the years had been a friend to her
And that her eyes were still as blue
But in those eyes I wasn't sure if I saw
Doubt or gratitude

She said she saw me in the record stores
And that I must be doing well
I said the audience was heavenly
But the traveling was Hell

We drank a toast to innocence
We drank a toast to now
We tried to reach beyond the emptiness
But neither one knew how

We drank a toast to innocence
We drank a toast to time
Reliving, in our eloquence
Another "Auld Lang Syne"

The beer was empty and our tongues were tired
And running out of things to say
She gave a kiss to me as I got out
And I watched her drive away

Just for a moment I was back at school
And felt that old familiar pain




And, as I turned to make my way back home
The snow turned into rain

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Auld Lang Syne" by Dan-Air Scottish Pipe Band tell a story of two former lovers who unexpectedly reunite on Christmas Eve. The song begins with the singer recounting how they met their old lover in a grocery store. The snow falling outside sets the scene for a nostalgic and emotional encounter. The singer stands behind their lover in the frozen foods section and reaches out to touch her on the sleeve, prompting her recognition.


As their eyes meet, there is a rush of emotions and they both burst into laughter until tears stream down their faces. The encounter is both joyful and lighthearted as they reminisce about their shared past. They proceed to the check-out stand, taking time to chat and feeling slightly embarrassed by the silence that occasionally falls between them.


Unable to find an open bar, they resort to buying a six-pack of beer from a liquor store and decide to continue their reunion in their car. They raise a toast to innocence and the present moment, recognizing the emptiness that lingers between them but unsure of how to bridge the gap.


During their conversation, the former lover reveals that she is now married to an architect who provides her with comfort and security. However, she admits that she has difficulty expressing love for him genuinely. The singer acknowledges the passing years and compliments her, commenting on her still vibrant blue eyes. But within those eyes, doubt or perhaps gratitude is detected, signifying unresolved emotions.


The singer learns that their former lover had seen them in record stores, which implies a successful music career. They respond by conveying the dichotomy of heavenly audiences but exhausting travels. Once again, they raise a toast to innocence and time, acknowledging the cyclical nature of life and the simultaneous longing for the past and the present.


As the night progresses, the beer runs out, and both individuals run out of things to say. Before parting ways, the former lover gives the singer a kiss, evoking a bittersweet feeling as memories of their past pain resurface. This brief interaction momentarily transports the singer back to their school days. As they turn to go back home, the snow transitions into rain, representing the passing of time and the inevitability of change.


In summary, "Auld Lang Syne" recounts a chance encounter between two former lovers on Christmas Eve. Through their conversation and shared moments, the song explores themes of nostalgia, missed opportunities, the difficulty of expressing emotions, and the passage of time. It delves into the complexities of human relationships and the mixture of joy and pain that can accompany reunions.


Line by Line Meaning

Met my old lover in the grocery store
Encountered my past romantic partner unexpectedly while shopping for groceries


The snow was falling Christmas Eve
There was a gentle snowfall on the evening of Christmas Eve


I stood behind her in the frozen foods
I positioned myself behind her in the section of the store where frozen foods are kept


And I touched her on the sleeve
I lightly made contact with her arm by reaching out and touching her sleeve


She didn't recognize the face at first
Initially, she did not remember or recognize my face


But then her eyes flew open wide
Suddenly, her eyes widened in surprise or realization


She went to hug me and she spilled her purse
In her excitement, she attempted to embrace me, causing her purse to accidentally overturn and its contents to spill


And we laughed until we cried
Both of us found the situation amusing to the point that we couldn't stop laughing, evoking tears of joy


We took her groceries to the check out stand
Together, we carried her purchased items to the cashier's counter


The food was totaled up and bagged
The cashier calculated the total cost of the groceries and packed them into bags


We stood there lost in our embarrassment
The two of us remained standing, feeling a combination of shame and self-consciousness


As the conversation lagged
While we spoke, there were moments when the flow of conversation slowed down


We went to have ourselves a drink or two
We decided to go to a place where we could enjoy a couple of drinks


But couldn't find an open bar
Unfortunately, we were unable to locate a bar that was open at that time


We bought a six-pack at the liquor store
Instead, we purchased a pack containing six bottles of alcoholic beverages from a store specializing in liquor


And we drank it in her car
We consumed the alcohol inside her vehicle


We drank a toast to innocence
With our drinks in hand, we raised a glass in tribute to purity or lack of guilt


We drank a toast to now
We celebrated the current moment or present circumstances with a toast


We tried to reach beyond the emptiness
We made an effort to surpass the feeling of void or loneliness


But neither one knew how
However, neither of us was aware of how to truly accomplish that


She said she's married her an architect
She informed me that she had married an architect


Who kept her warm and safe and dry
Her husband, being an architect, provided her with comfort, security, and protection


She would have liked to say she loved the man
She admitted that she wished she could honestly express love for her husband


But she didn't like to lie
However, she was not comfortable with engaging in falsehoods


I said the years had been a friend to her
I remarked that time had treated her well, acting as a companion and ally


And that her eyes were still as blue
I commented on the fact that her eyes maintained their vivid blue color


But in those eyes I wasn't sure if I saw
Yet, when I looked into her eyes, I couldn't determine if what I observed reflected


Doubt or gratitude
A sense of uncertainty or feelings of appreciation


She said she saw me in the record stores
She mentioned that she had spotted me in music stores


And that I must be doing well
She assumed that I must be successful or thriving


I said the audience was heavenly
In response, I shared that the crowd or spectators were overwhelmingly wonderful or exceptional


But the traveling was Hell
However, the experience of constantly moving from place to place was incredibly unpleasant or troublesome


We drank a toast to innocence
Once again, we raised our glasses to purity or lack of guilt


We drank a toast to now
We celebrated the present moment or current circumstances with another toast


We tried to reach beyond the emptiness
We endeavored to transcend the feeling of void or loneliness


But neither one knew how
However, neither of us was aware of how to truly accomplish that


We drank a toast to innocence
Once more, we raised our glasses to purity or lack of guilt


We drank a toast to time
We celebrated the passage of time with a toast


Reliving, in our eloquence
Engaging in conversation with great expressiveness or persuasion, we revisited


Another 'Auld Lang Syne'
Another nostalgic reflection or reminiscence


The beer was empty and our tongues were tired
The bottles of beer were now consumed, and our speech became weary or exhausted


And running out of things to say
We were rapidly running out of topics or subjects to discuss


She gave a kiss to me as I got out
Upon my departure from the car, she expressed affection by giving me a kiss


And I watched her drive away
I observed her departure as she drove away


Just for a moment I was back at school
For a brief instant, I felt transported back to my days in school


And felt that old familiar pain
I experienced the same familiar ache or discomfort that I had felt in the past


And, as I turned to make my way back home
While facing the direction of my journey back to my residence


The snow turned into rain
The falling snow transformed into raindrops




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dan Fogelberg

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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