New England Song Series No. 5:

 

SONG OF THE OLD FOLKS

An Early American "Auld Lang Syne"

 

 

SONG OF THE OLD FOLKS
(tune: AULD LANG SYNE)

1. Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
   And never brought to mind,
   Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
   And songs of auld lang syne.
   For auld lang syne we meet tonight,
   For auld lang syne;
   To sing the songs our fathers sang
   In days of auld lang syne.
   
   
2. We’ve passed through many varied scenes,
   Since youth’s unclouded day:
   And friends, and hopes, and happy dreams,
   Time’s hand hath swept away.
   And voices that once joined with ours,
   In days of auld lang syne;
   Are silent now, and blend no more
   In songs of auld lang syne.
   
   
3. Yet ever has the light of song
   Illumed our darkest hours;
   And cheer’d us on life’s toilsome way,
   And gemm’d our path with flow’rs;
   The sacred songs our fathers sang,
   Dear songs of auld lang syne;
   The hallowed songs our fathers sang
   In days of auld lang syne.
   
   
4. Here we have met, but we may part,
   To meet on earth no more;
   And we may never sing again
   The cherished songs of yore;
   The sacred songs our fathers sang,
   In days of auld lang syne;
   We may not meet to sing again
   The songs of auld lang syne.
   
   
5. But when we’ve crossed the sea of life,
   And reached the heav’nly shore,
   We’ll sing the songs our fathers sing,
   Transcending those of yore;
   We’ll meet to sing diviner strains
   Than those of auld lang syne;
   Immortal songs of praise, unknown
   In days of auld lang syne.
   
   --words by Albert Laighton
   First sung in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 1855

 

 

Now you can read the fascinating story of how "Auld Lang Syne"
was adapated and retitled.
See the online article about the early American version of "Auld Lang Syne"
at this online site --We're History
Note: The caption underneath the picture of SONG OF THE OLD FOLKS
on that site is Incorrect. The source credit should be:
Father Kemp's Old Folks Concert Tunes, Boston, Oliver Ditson & Company, 1874

 

 

Read about Father Kemp and the Old Folks Concert Tunes -- click here

 

 

Recordings

 

"Song of the Old Folks" is available on this CD:

"Auld Lang Syne" - American Holiday Songs and Carols (AMRC 0025)

 

"Variations on Auld Lang Syne"
is available on this CD:

click here

 

 

 

 

 

 

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"Auld Lang Syne" -American Holiday Songs and Carols

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