Musical Monday: Auld Lang Syne

Of course, I wouldn't go so close to the New Year without discussing this song:

To all of you English speakers, doesn't this song always sound wrong to you? Like, it sounds familiar, but isn't.  The reason why is because it's written in a kind of pigeon of English and Scots-Gaelic, called "Scots".  The author was the Scottish poet, Robert Burns, but the meldoy comes from Scottish folk tunes.

The title and main chorus, "Auld Lang Syne" roughly translates to, "for long since" or "for old time's sake", which might be an odd choice for the New Year, given how for many, New Year's Eve is all about just throwing things away and forgetting about them, and not recalling good times past.

But now? It makes sense, doesn't it?

Who are we now if not from the people we knew before? Everybody we met has contributed to us over the years.

And people can change: They do all the time.  We talk about others like they never change, as though bad qualities are immutable, fixed, permanent traits, but they never are.  People always change, either from the simple wear of time, a change of place, or a hellbent determination to change.  Nobody is an exception to this rule, including me.

So don't forget the past, and the good times you had with people from before.  I haven't forgotten any of my best friends, and the good times we have had together.

Thank you, all of you.

And have a Happy New Year!