Auld Lang Syne - Dougie MacLean:
with lyrics, translations, chords, song structure, lead sheet
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“days long gone” indeed!
This nostalgic old song has always been a favorite of mine. I come to realize that my affinity for it began as a child, when I wasn’t quite sure what it was all about but I got the gist very clearly. And in this still-less-than-a-month-old 2025 I finally got around to illuminating myself about the song’s origin, structure, and coolness.
The poem is attributed to Robert Burns, the 18th century Scottish poet, but he derived his version from older sources. Around 1799 someone set it to the melody that most of us are familiar with.The thing that always confused me was the fact that the song seems to be a question . . . . but it never gets answered.
My hunch is that I (& prolly most of us) have heard versions that are, shall we say, tipsy. These renditions tend to blur over the subtleties of rhyme and reason.
But the very fun fact is that the first verse does indeed pose a question - and the chorus follows immediately with the answer. Matter of fact the entire rest of the song can be read as an answer to the question posed in verse 1.
Question:
Should we forget about the old days?
Answer:
No.
LOL, and that extremely unsatisfying answer is, my friend, WHY we have poetry in the first place!
We want better.
Robert Burns gives us that; his lovely verse 1 and chorus 1:
[verse 1]
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, [old]
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and days of auld lang syne? [days gone by]
[chorus]
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet, [we’ll drink a toast]
for days of auld lang syne.
See the part that makes it confusing??
The verse ends with “auld lang syne”, and then the chorus BEGINS with the exact same phrase. On the page that’s very clear, but when listening, not so much. This is particularly true since, tbh we don’t tend to be pondering it too much at the time.
Burns goes on by reminiscing about all the cool stuff we did in the old days, how we drifted apart, and that we should re-confirm our friendship with another drink.
Awesome stuff, and a damn fine idea, Robert!
The whole poem is below, with some glosses I’ve added (I definitely know the Scots language. The translations are definitely not sourced from Wikipedia. For sure.).
Auld Lang Syne - Dougie MacLean version
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, [old]
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and days of auld lang syne? [days gone by]
[Chorus]
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet, [we’ll drink a toast]
for days of auld lang syne.
We twa hae run aboot the braes, [we two have run around the hills]
and pu’d the gowans fine; [plucked the daisies fine]
But we’ve wandered many a weary fet, [weary foot]
since days of auld lang syne.
and we twa hae paeddled in the burn, [we two have paddled in the stream]
frae mornin’ sun ’til dyn; [from morning ’til dinner]
But seas between us braed hae roared [broad seas between us have roared]
since days of auld lang syne.
[Chorus]
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet,
for days of auld lang syne.
And surely you'll bee your pint-staup! [you’ll buy your pint cup]
and surely I'll bee mine!
And we'll tak’ a cup o' kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
And there’s a hand, my trusty feer! [I offer a handshake, my friend]
and gaes a hand o’ thine! [give your hand in return]
And we'll tak a recht ged-wellie-waucht, [we’ll take a right good-will drink]
for auld lang syne.
[Chorus 2]
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
[Chorus 2]
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
Dougie MacLean's Version
Dougie MacLean
(say it: “doogie mclayne”)
(I don't know this, I picked it up from someone interviewing him on Scottish TV.
I figure she's trustworthy in this regard)
I’ve been listening to and also playing a rendition of Auld Lang Syne by Dougie MacLean, Scottish singer-songwriter of great renown. The literary sense I’ve made of the song is thanks to him because he chose the phrasing and re-ordered the verses as I show above. He crafted the old song into a personal expression that’s beautiful and understandable, at least for me.
MacLean accompanies the melody with a deceptively simple guitar part. I love it. He uses the normal three chord progression - good old I IV V - but he does so with some very detailed and creative touches that make the chords just bloom and prosper. They support the melody and the story telling wonderfully.
- He plays the D chord without a third
- He uses a sus chord rather than a regular A major. So, also without a third, but with a little spice.
- In the chorus he changes it up and for the first playing of the D chord. There he not only reinstalls the third, he puts it in the bass.
- For the other two D chords in the chorus he plays without a third again, but he also changes the bass note to a higher octave.
Basically he changes up his chords intentionally and in a way that
1. Highlights the song structure and moves along the narrative
2. Creates a really nice melody using his bass notes
My suggestion?
If you’re not a guitar player - or even if you are, especially if you are:
- Take a nice slow read of the poem. Consider Burns’ meanings.
- Pour a dram of your favorite single malt (mine is Talisker 10 Year).
-
Sit comfortably in front of the best set of speakers you possess
and listen to MacLean caress this fine old tune.
Slàinte Mhath!
(pronounced "Slanj-a-va")
A Lead Sheet
If you wish to play it based on MacLean’s version, you can arpeggiate the chords as he does, or arpeggiate them in your own way. However I find that strumming it using his chord voicings works very nicely as well.
I make lead sheets like this one all the time. Please drop me a line if you are wondering anything about it!
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