Happy New Year and Auld Lang Syne
Photo by Rasputin (Фото в Григорий Ефимович Распутин)
Aljona rings in the New Year in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine.
“This is Broadway, the great white way, part of the world’s most exciting city–New York– and it’s time once again for, New Year’s Eve with Guy Lombardo… And now from the famous Waldorf Astoria Hotel on fashionable Park Avenue where New York’s glamorous high society celebrates New Year’s Eve in the Grand Ballroom, it’s the sweetest music this side of heaven, with all the Royal Canadians and Mister New Year’s Eve himself… Ladies and Gentleman, Guy Lombardo.”
The Scottish poem Auld Lang Syne was written by Robert Burns in 1788. The song was originally sung on Hogmanay, the last day of the year. It is now a tradition throughout the English-speaking world to sing Auld Lang Syne at the stroke of midnight to ring in the New Year.
The first video has the announcer’s introduction to New Year’s Eve with Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians from 1974. Born in 1902, Guy Lombardo formed his band The Royal Canadians in 1924. He started broadcasting live over the radio from the Roosevelt Grill in Manhattan on New Year’s Eve in 1929. When the Roosevelt Hotel finally closed down, he moved to the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel’s Grand Ballroom. When television supplanted radio, he moved to the new medium. He continued the New Year’s Eve tradition until he passed away in the mid 1970’s. If he were around today, he would probably be broadcasting over the internet.
The second is an LP recording of the song Auld Lang Syne by Guy Lombardo and the Royal Canadians as many people remember hearing it every year.
Robert Burns: AULD LANG SYNE
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
and days of 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-stowp!
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 pu’d the gowans fine
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary foot
sin auld lang syne
CHORUS
We twa hae paidl’d i’ 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-willy waught
for auld lang syne