All, Thought I'd pass this on since someone was wanting information on the song. Later, Noel"Spirit Rider"Bell > I have the following commentary on the song, undocumented and > unattributed: > > "This is a very ancient Scottish folk song. Its earliest beginnings trace > back to Britain's King Charles (Stuart) I, who reigned from 1625 until his > exectution in 1649, at which time the expression "auld lang syne" was > popular. From then on there appeared several poems using this expression, > some coupled with "should auld acquaintance be forgot." Certain of these > verses were set to music and a least one of them was published the latter > part of the seventeenth century. None of these songs survived, however, > except the one version which began, "Should old acquaintance be forgot and > never thocht upon" and ended "On old long syne." This seems to have been the > version that was changed over the years and improved upon until it developed > into the first verse of our present-day song. > Around 1793 or so the Scotch poet Robert Burns wrote verses 2 and 3, and his > friend George Thomson set it to the melody of an old Scottish Lowland tune > that was used for "I Fee'd (Hired) a Lad at Michaelmas," "The Miller's > Wedding," and also "The Miller's Daughter." This is the "Auld Lang Syne" of > today. > During the 1790's America was undergoing mass immigration from the British > Isles and it was during these cradle days of America that Auld Lang Syne" > entered our country, achieved almost immediate popularity, and became a part > of our country's singing life." > > (I found this commentary attached to sheet music. I hope it helps. > Perhaps it > will annoy some museum professionals, in which case, it's worth it.) > > --Jim Riley > > --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ---------------------------- > > GRAB THE GATOR! FREE SOFTWARE DOES ALL THE TYPING FOR YOU! > Tired of filling out forms and remembering passwords? Gator fills in > forms and passwords with just one click! Comes with $50 in free coupons! > <a href=" http://clickme.onelist.com/ad/gator4 ">Click Here</a> > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > RevList - http://www.meridian.com/revlist/ _______ To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe rangernet" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] "Eat the hay & spit out the sticks! - A#1's mule" RTKB&G4JC! http://rangernet.org Autoresponder: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
