It’s a song we often hear at the start of the new year. But what does “auld lang syne” even mean? And how did it come to be associated with New Year's Eve? With a little musical sleuthing, we find Charlie Chaplin might have something to do with it.
Guests:
James Deutsch, curator of folklife and popular culture at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
Smithsonian Links:
- Take a tour through versions of “Auld Lang Syne” from years gone by with selections heard in this episode:
- Swiss "Coffin" Box by Mermod—"Auld Lang Syne" from the album Music Boxes, Carousels, and Hand Organ. 1950 Cook Records. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.
- George and Madeleine Brown—"Auld Lang Syne" from the album The Story of the Music Box. 1952 Cook Records. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.
- Roger Sprung, Hal Wylie and the Progressive Bluegrassers—"Auld Lang Syne" from the album Bluegrass Blast: A Mixed Bag of Ol' Timey Music. 1974 Folkways Records. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.
- Stay in the holiday spirit with our season nine episode, A Very Merry Sidedoor which explores the origins of seasonal traditions like kissing under the mistletoe, figgy pudding, and watch night.
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