Auld Lang Syne
The Cast, David Francis (guitar) and Mairi Campbell (fiddle, viola, voice),… Read Full Bio ↴The Cast, David Francis (guitar) and Mairi Campbell (fiddle, viola, voice), have been playing together since 1992. They made their debut album ‘The Winnowing’ for Alasdair Fraser’s Culburnie Records the following year, with a second CD for Culburnie, ‘Colours of Lichen’ appearing in 1996. After a long absence from recording, their third album, ‘greengold’ came out on Greentrax in the summer of 2007. Their repertoire includes their own songs, interpretations of the songs of Robert Burns and contemporary writers, traditional songs from the British Isles, and the fiddle and dance music of Scotland and Cape Breton. Their arrangement of the Robert Burns classic, ‘Auld Lang Syne’, is featured prominently in the 2008 hit film version of ‘Sex and The City’, and features on the movie soundtrack. In the autumn of 2007, a song from ‘greengold’, ‘Smile or Cry’ was announced as one of the winners of the biannual Burnsong competition, which attracted over 400 entries, while Mairi’s tune ‘Jean Yelland’ was voted ‘Composition of the Year’ in the Chicago-based LiveIreland.com awards for 2008. Also at the end of 2007, Mairi was voted ‘Scots Singer of the Year’ at the annual Scots Trad Music Awards, while LiveIreland.com declared her ‘Female Musician of the Year’. The Cast has appeared at festivals and venues in Italy, Spain, the US, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Ireland, Switzerland and Germany, as well as clubs, arts centres and festivals all over the UK – including major festivals such as Celtic Connections, Towersey, Burns and a’ That and Warwick. Performance highlights include TV appearances as part of the Robert Burns birthday celebrations, an appearance in Washington DC at the Kennedy Center Honors in 1999 in a segment of the show devoted to Sir Sean Connery, and performance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference in Edinburgh. (A few years later, when asked by ‘The Independent’ newspaper for five favourite tracks on his iPod, Sir Sean included The Cast’s version of Auld Lang Syne (that song again!) from their first album.) Mairi Campbell trained as a viola player at the Guildhall in London, and worked in London until she withdrew to focus fully on traditional song and fiddle music, essentially finding her musical roots. Her musical interests are wide, and range from playing Scottish dance music to free improvisation (the former with Bella McNab’s Dance Band, the latter with the Working Party). She is in great demand as a fiddle teacher, and was one of the pioneers in the re-introduction of solo step-dancing to Scotland in the early nineties. Mairi is currently musical director of the Edinburgh based folk-choir Sangstream. She has also worked extensively as a session musician. David Francis is active in dance music (also with Bella McNab’s) as a guitarist and dance caller, and teaches both guitar and Scottish dancing in Edinburgh. He is a former director of Edinburgh Folk Festival, and in 1999 produced a comprehensive report on traditional music in Scotland for the Scottish Arts Council. He is currently director of Ceol Mor, Aberdeen International Youth Festival’s traditional music big band, and a co-founder of Distil, a creative development programme for traditional musicians interested in composition. He is active in traditional music education in Edinburgh, and is carrying out research into the role of the traditional artist in community development. Mairi and Dave were married in 1994 and have two daughters. They live in Portobello in Edinburgh.

Auld Lang Syne
Mairi Campbell and Dave Francis 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 days of auld lang syne?
And days of auld lang syne, my dear,
And days of auld lang syne.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days of auld lang syne?

We twa hae run aboot the braes
And pu'd the gowans fine.
We've wandered mony a weary foot,
Sin' auld lang syne.
Sin' auld lang syne, my dear,
Sin' auld lang syne,
We've wandered mony a weary foot,
Sin' auld ang syne.

We twa hae sported i' the burn,
From morning sun till dine,
But seas between us braid hae roared
Sin' auld lang syne.

Sin' auld lang syne, my dear,
Sin' auld lang syne.
But seas between us braid hae roared
Sin' auld lang syne.

And ther's a hand, my trusty friend,
And gie's a hand o' thine;
We'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,





We'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

Overall Meaning

The song "Auld Lang Syne" is a beloved folk tune and an anthem of nostalgia, friendship, and togetherness. The lyrics are a reflection on the passing of time and the importance of remembering old friends and shared experiences. The first stanza poses a poignant question about forgetting old acquaintances and the days gone by. The repeated chorus emphasizes the significance of the past and the memories that connect us, despite time and distance.


The second and third stanzas describe the singer's personal experiences with a dear friend, recalling shared adventures, walks in the hills, and playful moments by the stream. The lyrics evoke a sense of longing and regret, as the two friends have been separated by "seas between us braid," suggesting either physical distance or emotional barriers.


The final stanza offers a resolution and a call to action. The singer invites the friend to join hands and raise a toast to "the days of auld lang syne," which translates to "the long, long ago." This gesture signifies forgiveness, reconciliation, and gratitude for the good times that they've shared. In this way, the song celebrates the power of human connection and the ability to overcome differences, time, and space through shared experiences.


Line by Line Meaning

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
Is it right to forget old acquaintances?


And never brought to mind?
And never remember them?


Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
Is it right to forget old acquaintances?


And days of auld lang syne?
And the memories we share from long ago?


And days of auld lang syne, my dear,
And the memories we share from long ago, my dear,


And days of auld lang syne.
And the memories we share from long ago.


Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
Is it right to forget old acquaintances?


And days of auld lang syne?
And the memories we share from long ago?


We twa hae run aboot the braes
We have both run around the hills


And pu'd the gowans fine.
And picked the beautiful daisies.


We've wandered mony a weary foot,
We’ve walked many a tired step


Sin' auld lang syne.
Since long ago.


Sin' auld lang syne, my dear,
Since long ago, my dear,


Sin' auld lang syne.
Since long ago.


We twa hae sported i' the burn,
The two of us played in the stream


From morning sun till dine,
From sunrise until dinnertime,


But seas between us braid hae roared
But vast oceans have roared between us


Sin' auld lang syne.
Since long ago.


Sin' auld lang syne, my dear,
Since long ago, my dear,


But seas between us braid hae roared
But vast oceans have roared between us


Sin' auld lang syne.
Since long ago.


And ther's a hand, my trusty friend,
And there’s a hand, my loyal friend,


And gie's a hand o' thine;
And give me your hand;


We'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet,
Let's have a drink of goodwill yet,


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


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


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


We'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet,
Let's have a drink of goodwill yet,


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




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JIMMY CARROLL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@lenorewolke8812

This version always brings me to tears. The best version yet! Her voice is just beautiful!

@lindamarie7311

The most beautiful version, never gets old.

@vishdhoom

Love the song... Music has no boundaries... This song was so heartfelt that it touched the heart of a Bengali poet (Tagore) and he recreated the same song in his mother tongue...

@ldla2002

I remember being in tears when carrie said to miranda "you are not alone..." with this song in the background..I personally think it was one of the best scenes in the movie.! Loved it..

@kichisurichi2196

this is on my Xmas playlist every year. It reminds me another year is going by and what's ahead is still an unknown. A poignant moment for me.

@amandaleguilherme

Uma doce voz e uma melodia muito suave para ouvir em noites de paz!

@hydesbride

I totally cried at this part of the movie too! This version of the song is so beautiful and it is a very emotional moment in the film. God I love Sex and the City!!!

@msymsed

If I am not mistaken, the version we know is the one his publisher chose for it. This tune is the one Burns wanted. Burns was right. This is absolutely one of the most beautiful songs ever written...and made so doubly because of the music. I first heard it when this duo sang it for Sean Connery on the Kennedy Center Honors. There is a guy who also sings it here on YouTube who did a marvelous job of it too...of course, he was singing out of his house but that made it all the more effective.

@luisargumedo5946

Faltan solo dias para el año 2016. Es increible como el tiempo se va y solo queda rescatar cosas positivas y buenos momentos de ellos. Hermosa cancion para escuchar hoy, mañana, cada vez que querramos y hasta el mismo 31 de diciembre. Feliz Navidad y Año nuevo para todos. Siempre busquemos el amor y la felicidad ♡ Buenas noches.

@bibib99

it is a really beautiful rendition of auld lang syne. i almost cried too during the movie when they played this song.

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