Analysis of Auld Lang Syne (Old Long Since) By Robert Burns written by Irfan Suryana



Auld Lang Syne (Old Long Since)
By Robert Burns

 
(Image is from Google)

A.  Glance of the Song
         Scots poem written by Robert Burns in 1788
         set to the tune of a traditional folk song
         well known in many countries, especially in the English-speaking world
         “Auld Lang Syne”: “Old Long Since”, “Long Long Ago”, “Days Gone By”, “Old Times”.
         "For auld lang syne”: for (the sake of) old times
         "In the days of auld lang syne”: “Once upon a time…” (Matthew Fitt)
         The phrase "Auld Lang Syne" is also used in similar poems byRobert Ayton  (1570–1638), Allan Ramsay (1686–1757), and James Watson (1711)
         The song is all about preserving old friendships and looking back over the events of the year
         sung all over the world, evoking a sense of belonging and fellowship, tinged with nostalgia

B.  Analysis (The Lyric)
First Version
         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.
         We twa hae run about the braes, 
And pou'd the gowans fine; 
But we've wander'd mony a weary fit, 
Sin' auld lang syne.
         We twa hae paidl'd in the burn, 
Frae morning sun till dine; 
But seas between us braid hae roar'd 
Sin' auld lang syne.
         And there's a hand, my trusty fere! 
And gie's a hand o' thine! 
And we'll tak a right gude-willie waught, 
For auld lang syne
 
 English Version
Should old acquaintances be forgotten,
And never brought to mind?
This is just like a question whether old friends’ moments are forgotten or not
Should old acquaintances be forgotten,
And days of long ago !
For old long ago, my dear
For old long ago,
The lyric still wants to make sure that old friends’ moments are very precious
We will take a cup of kindness yet
For old long ago
Old friends can get together again with us if we still remember all about them
We two have run about the hillsides
And pulled the daisies fine,
But we have wandered many a weary foot
For old long ago.
Many memorable memories have been experienced together with old friends to have fun and to reach many successful things
We two have paddled (waded) in the stream
From noon until dinner time,
But seas between us broad have roared
Since old long ago
Togetherness will come again because of the power of moments or time when we got together in the past time
And there is a hand, my trusty friend,
And give us a hand of yours,
And we will take a goodwill draught (of ale)
For old long ago!
Cooperating with old friends in the past time will make us want to help each other
And surely you will pay for your pint,
And surely I will pay for mine!
And we will take a cup of kindness yet
For old long ago!
Although we are different, we can have long friendship.

 Indonesian Version
         Bertemu dan berpisah adat manusia biasa
         Hilang di mata tapi di hati jangan lupa
         Berdoalah kita agar aman dan sentosa
         Semoga kelak kita berjumpa di lain masa

C.  Story
         The song begins by posing a rhetorical question as to whether it is right that old times be forgotten, and is generally interpreted as a call to remember long-standing friendships
         The tune is commonly pentatonic  Scots folk melody

D.  Uses
         is very widely used to symbolise other "endings/new beginnings
         To bid farewell to the old year at the stroke of midnight
         Sung at funerals, graduations and as a farewell or ending to other occasions
         To close jamborees and other functions
         Sung at the conclusion of New Year gatherings in Scotland and around the world, especially in English-speaking countries
         Used in farewells, funerals (and other memorials of the dead), graduations, the end of a (non-New Year) party or a Boy Scout gathering, the election of a new government, the last lowering of the Union Jack as a British colony achieves independence and even as a signal that a retail store is about to close for the day
         The melody is also widely used for other words, especially hymns, the songs of sporting and other clubs, and even national anthems

       At Hogmanay in Scotland, it is common practice that everyone joins hands with the person next to them to form a great circle around the dance floor. At the beginning of the last verse, everyone crosses their arms across their breast, so that the right hand reaches out to the neighbour on the left and vice versa.

         When the tune ends, everyone rushes to the middle, while still holding hands. When the circle is re-established, everyone turns under the arms to end up facing outwards with hands still joined.

         In countries other than Scotland the hands are often crossed from the beginning of the song at variance with Scottish custom.
 
         The Scottish practice was demonstrated by the Queen at the Millennium Dome celebrations for the year 2000.
 
         The English press berated her for not "properly" crossing her arms, unaware that she was correctly following the Scottish tradition.

Source: Internet

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