auld lang syne, guy lombardo, to dick clark's rockin' new year's eve

8/10/2019 Auld Lang Syne, Guy Lombardo, To Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve

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“AULD LANG SYNE”, GUY LOMBARDO, TO DICK CLARK’S ROCKIN’ NEW YEAR’S

BY Alan L. Chrisman

When the calendar year was changed by the Church under Pope Gregory X111 in

1582, from the old Roman Julian calendar to better line up Easter with the Spring

Equinox, and account for an uneven lunar cycle, the end of the year was

designated to be December 31. Ever since, most English-speaking countries have

celebrated New Year’s Eve by saying good-bye then, to the previous year and

welcoming in the New Year.

“Auld Lang Syne” has long been one of the songs to be played and sung at that

time, at the stroke of midnight. The words to it are based on a poem, “Auld Lang

Syne” (meaning ‘old long since’) by Scottish poet, Robbie Burns, and the melody

is taken from a traditional Scottish folk tune. As the Scots and others from The

British Isles settled around the world they brought it with them and



commemorated the occasion, so it became part of North America’s traditions.

One of the musicians most associated with “Auld Lang Syne” for years was Guy

Lombardo. Lombardo was actually originally Canadian and he and his big-band

dance group, The Royal Canadians, popularized it. Lombardo was the headliner

on New Year’s Eve for almost half a century at New York’s Roosevelt Hotel and

later at the Waldorf Astoria from 1924 on, where live remotes were broadcast, in

conjunction with celebrations on Times Square, which had become the center of

American festivities. Those shows, first on radio then on TV, were transmitted

into millions of American homes and became part of the shared tradition.



By the mid-70’s, rock ‘n ‘roll promoter and founder of American Bandstand,Dick

Clark, had up-dated and began hosting the show for younger generations. He

called his show, “Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve’ and Clark’s array of acts,

whomever was currently popular, soon became the most watched. It carried on

the tradition of watching the ball drop as everyone counted down the arrival of

the New Year, which had become part of the ritual from New York’s Times

Square. Clark continued on until, after a stroke in 2004, he had to eventually pass

the hosting duties to Ryan Seacrest.

But even today, the first song played is still Guy Lombardo’s version of “Auld Lang

Syne”. Since John Lennon’s death in New York in 1980, his anthem, ”Imagine” ,

is also poignantly played as well as Frank Sinatra’s “ New New York”. For

thousands who gather in Times Square, as well as millions more watching aroundthe world, it has become the occasion to kiss those close and say good-bye to the

old year and welcome in the coming year and say, “Happy New Year!”

Happy New Year’s Everyone.

Rod Stewart doing “Auld Lang Syne” at Scotland’s Stirling Castle, 2012:

http://youtu.be/Al7ONqrdscY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Al7ONqrdscY

“AULD LANG SYNE”

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

and auld lang syne*?

CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my jo,

for auld lang syne,

we’ll tak' a cup o’ kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.




auld lang syne, guy lombardo, to dick clark's rockin' new year's eve

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