WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina |So what is Auld Lang Syne all about?

So what is Auld Lang Syne all about?

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - You won't find a crazy parties going on in USC's vault, but the roots of one of the most popular parts of any New Year's Eve bash can be found there.

It's the history of Auld Lang Syne -- that familiar song that few know the words to.

"Auld Lang Syne means, for old time's sake," said Dr. Patrick Scott, a scholar at USC. "Remembering our past together."  

Dr. Scott is what you call a Burns scholar. Burns -- as in Robert Burns -- the Scottish Poet who wrote the lyrics to the song we all kind of know.

USC has the largest collection of Burns' stuff outside of Scotland, from Miniature collections of his poems to his porridge bowl.

"Robert Burns would be taught and learned by heart in many Scottish schools, but his songs are much better known than his poems," said Dr. Scott.

Particularly that old New Year's standard. It really caught on in 1929 during New Year's Eve radio broadcasts. Since then, has become the western world's New Year's theme song.

"The words are about remembering that we use to be young together, and we've gone lots of different ways, and now let's have either a cup of kindness or a kiss of kindness depending on which texts you use, for the sake of Auld Lang Syne," said Dr. Scott. 

So as you raise your cups of kindness at midnight, have one for Robert Burns.

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