Auld Lang Syne - Chords, Lyrics and Origins

Origins

The Words of Auld Lang Syne were written, or perhaps at least in part ''collected'', by the Scottish poet Robert Burns, in 1788. Burns himself claimed that he, "took it down from an old man," and that Auld Lang Syne was an old folk song. The song is traditionally sung on the stoke of new year, and also sometimes at graduations, funerals and other farewells. The phrase ''Auld Lang Syne'' itself means, depending upon how you translate it, either, ''old long ago'', ''long, long ago'' or ''days gone by''. So we can certainly say that the song is about looking back on the past. Typically, only the first verse and chorus are sung, but I have reproduced the entire set of words in the lyrics section below. You can find out more about the song here.

The chords for Auld Lang Syne are easy, so give it a try at your next New Year's Eve or Hogmanay party!

The You Tube version is by Dougie MacLean and is taken from his album Tribute.  

Chords

Capo at 3rd Fret 

             C                             G7
Should old acquaintance be forgot

        C                             F
And never brought to mind
 
              C       Am               G7
Should old acquaintance be forgot

        F                             C          F
And days of auld lang syne

       C              G7
For auld lang syne, my dear,

       C               F
For auld lang syne,

          C         Am     G7
We'll take a cup o'kindness yet

        F                            C           F
And days of auld lang syne

Lyrics

The Typically Sung Lyrics...

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

...And the Whole Song...

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And 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.

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.

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

We twa hae run about the braes,
And pu''d the gowans fine;
But we''ve wandered mony a weary fit
Sin'' 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.

We twa hae paidled i'' the burn,
Frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roared
Sin'' 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.

And there''s a hand, my trusty fiere,
And gie''s a hand o'' thine!
And we''ll tak a right guid-willie waught
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.