December 31
AULD LANG SYNE DAY
Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians played Auld Lang Syne as a New Year’s Eve song for the first time on this night in 1929. Auld Lang Syne had been the band’s theme song long before 1929. However, this night was the start of a New Year’s Eve tradition as Lombardo’s famed orchestra played at the Hotel Roosevelt Grill in New York City to usher in the new year.
Where did it Auld begin? Scottish poet Robert Burns said he heard an old man singing the words, and wrote them down; but Burns is considered the original author. The literal translation means “old long since”; less literal: “days gone by”.
The writers and editors of Those Were the Days spend a lot of time with days gone by. So from all of us to all of you the world over:
Auld Lang Syne and Happy New Year!
Those Were the Days, the Today in History service from 440 International
No portion of these files may be reproduced without the express, written permission of 440 International Inc.
