Tonight is the night when people wax sentimental, sometimes get weepy-eyed, raise a toast (if they are still awake at the stroke of midnight) and sing "Auld Lang Syne" to say good-bye to the auld year and usher in the new. Parties will be held, revelers will revel - hopefully safely for themselves and others, Times Square in New York City will be the location where clean-up will be a gargantuan task, champagne corks will pop, and party favors will be blown, squeezed, and shaken.
Yes, this is the day of New Year's Eve.
I became curious about "Auld Lang Syne, its origins and history, so I did what all curious people seem to do these days and Googled "Auld Lang Syne". (In "aulden" years, I would have turned to my World Book encyclopedia. My, how things have changed!) Somewhere, in my youth, I do remember learning about "Auld Lang Syne", probably for some high school fine arts class, but the details were long gone. Much to my memory-jogged surprise, "Auld Lang Syne" is attributed to the great Scottish bard and composer, Robert Burns. Purportedly taking the folk song from the Scottish Lowland tradition in the late 1700's, Burns would hopefully be pleased and delighted to know that it is a song-staple in many parts of the world on New Year's Eve.
It is a simple song, not too hard to vocally navigate, unlike our unsingable National Anthem. Perhaps that is why it is so easy to sing while half-baked with alcoholic beverages. The words are simplistic as well, and can be understood even when slurred and stumbled over. For those whose heads are clear, the melody rings true and the words somehow evoke deeply maudlin and kitschy memories, thoughts, and actions. I wonder what percentage of marriage proposals take place on New Year's Eve? Furthermore, I wonder what percent of marriages actually occur from a proposal on New Year's Eve?
Well, "Auld Lang Syne" to the readers of Ancora Imparo. I do hear from you and your thoughts, comments, questions, and suggestions are always welcome......although some of your "suggested" topics on which to blog are even more out there than mine!
Happy New Year! Enjoy your evening and remember that taxis are only a phone call away!
Ancora imparo
