Auld Lang Syne

Another "copy cat" blog post, but I was very happy to find this to share.

Listen up!

This was put up on YouTube on Nov 13, 2013.

Here's all the information describing it which is quite a lot and including many facts I did not know.

No copyright is claimed in [the music].
Arista/Legacy's 2012 compilation The Classic Christmas Album is not the first collection of Kenny G's holiday recordings -- he's had two prior, both compiling highlights from three albums -- but this set whittles down his seasonal tunes to a compact 16 tracks. As expected, most of the big Christmas carols and seasonal standards are here: "Winter Wonderland," "White Christmas," and "Silver Bells" sit alongside "Silent Night," "Do You Hear What I Hear," and "The First Noel." Perhaps there are no surprises, but any listener looking for a consistent collection of Kenny G's Christmas songs will find this quite enjoyable. (Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine for Allmusic)
http://www.allmusic.com/album/release...
"Auld Lang Syne" is a Scots poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and set to the tune of a traditional folk song. It is well known in many countries, especially in the English-speaking world, its traditional use being to celebrate the start of the New Year at the stroke of midnight. By extension, it is also sung at funerals, graduations and as a farewell or ending to other occasions. The international Boy Scout youth movement, in many countries, uses it as a close to jamborees and other functions.
The song's Scots title may be translated into English literally as "old long since", or more idiomatically, "long long ago", "days gone by" or "old times". Consequently "For auld lang syne", as it appears in the first line of the chorus, might be loosely translated as "for (the sake of) old times".
The phrase "Auld Lang Syne" is also used in similar poems by Robert Ayton (1570--1638), Allan Ramsay (1686--1757), and James Watson (1711) as well as older folk songs predating Burns. Matthew Fitt uses the phrase "In the days of auld lang syne" as the equivalent of "Once upon a time..." in his retelling of fairy tales in the Scots language.
The song begins by posing a rhetorical question as to whether it is right that old times be forgotten, and is generally interpreted as a call to remember long-standing friendships. Thomson's Select Songs of Scotland was published in 1799 in which the second verse about greeting and toasting was moved to its present position at the end.
The confusion over the song is arguably almost as much of a tradition as the song itself. As revelers stumble and mumble through the verses--singing the "auld lang syne" part much louder than the rest of the song because it's really the only part people know--someone always asks what the words mean.
The title of the Scottish tune translates to "times gone by" and is about remembering friends from the past and not letting them be forgotten.
Despite its strong association with New Year's Eve, "Auld Lang Syne," written by Robert Burns in the 1700s, was never intended to be a holiday song. Guy Lombardo is credited with popularizing the song when his band used it as a segue between two radio programs during a live performance at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York in 1929. By coincidence, they played "Auld Lang Syne" just after the clock hit midnight, and a New Year's tradition was born.
The song, and the confusion that comes with it, has been immortalized in countless movies and TV shows.

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old lang syne ?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

And surely you'll buy your pint cup !
and surely I'll buy mine !
And we'll take a cup o' kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine ;
But we've wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine† ;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there's a hand my trusty friend !
And give me a hand o' thine !
And we'll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

sound recording administered by SME
(thanks for allowing this to remain)
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Auld Lang Syne



Small But Blessed Christmas in the Memphis TN Area

Our trip included staying in a motel in Pearl, Mississippi, and even included visiting with a few people at Tom's and The Room.  We have a habit of getting up with the chickens and going to bed with them also.  This does not work very well with younger adults and even some people who just have established a different schedule they like instead.

When we first moved to Alabama, our next door neighbor, Dave Wesp, told me his typical schedule called for him staying up until 2 A.M. watching TV and then arising around 10 A.M.  Rarely will you find people who have the "chickens schedule" unless they have to because of employment.  So, we realize that we are two odd birds and prefer staying in motels.

On the second day of our Christmas trip, we made it to Olive Branch, MS, and stayed at a Super 8 motel that had the perk of being a short walking distance from a bar.  In other words, we did not get out in the traffic once we settled into our room.

On the last two days of our trip, we stayed in Comfort Inn also in Olive Branch.

On Christmas Eve, we shared a meal that our oldest daughter, Angie Smith, had prepared.  For the first time ever, we dined with all three grown grandchildren.  The conversation included, among other subjects, the fact that parts of Mississippi had much damage from tornados.  I should add here that the weather was not at all seasonal with temps climbing into the 80s. Neal Thomas is a storm chaser and described what the area around Holly Springs was like.  Many buildings were destroyed.  People were injured and some deaths occurred as a result also.

The next day as we traveled all the way back to our Sweet Home Alabama, it rained off and on and visibility was even bad at times.

The saying still holds true for us after living in Coastal Alabama for eight-plus years.

 



Best Thanksgiving Ever!

Our family has had many gatherings for Thanksgiving.  If I (mds) were a good creative writer, I would probably not give you the gist of this blog post in the title or the beginning, but that's me in looking back on our visit to Memphis for Thanksgiving. 

As I write this, I have just taken off all the photos taken by two cameras for over a month, and today is December 1, 2015.  You know what that means: The holiday rush has been kicked off in all its emphasis on commercialism.  Fortunately, it is pretty hard to celebrate Thanksgiving in a commercial way, but Macy's Thanksgiving Parade does a pretty good job of doing just that, and I still enjoyed watching parts of it as well as a Dog Show which took place in Philadelphia on TV on Thanksgiving Day.  BTW, our oldest daughter's TV gives us a feeling of being in a movie theater, but we are still happy with our smaller TV at home.

Prior to Thanksgiving Day we visited the Bass Pro Shop now located in The Pyramid of Memphis.  We first read a negative article about this place but then found one on the positive side, which we are sharing here with you: Article about Bass Pro Shop In Memphis Pyramid 

 

The real highlight of the trip was the Thanksgiving meal where several photos were taken by several people.  The Smith's gatherings for Thanksgiving have always been memories to remember with the food being delicious plus visiting with family. 

 

Here's some photos we'll share:

Memphis Thanksgiving 2015

 

Now the rush is on that some retailers even began before Thanksgiving Day was over.