Robert Burns - poet of "Auld Lang Syne." — Robert Burns – poet of “Auld Lang Syne.”

Auld Lang Syne - "Should old acquaintances be forgotten?" Anyone can make walls; but it takes strength of character to build a bridge! — Auld Lang Syne – “Should old acquaintances be forgotten?”
Anyone can make walls; but it takes strength of character to build a bridge!

Auld Lang Syne

Should old acquaintances be forgotten,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintances be forgotten,
and days of long ago!

Chorus:
For times gone by, my dear
For times gone by,
We will take a cup of kindness yet
For times gone by.

We two have run about the hillsides
and pulled the daisies fine,
But we have wandered many a weary foot
for times gone by.

We two have paddled (waded) in the stream
from noon until dinner time,
But seas between us broad have roared
since times gone by.

And there is a hand, my trusty friend,
and give us a hand of yours,
And we will take a goodwill drink (of ale)
For times gone by!

And surely you will pay for your pint,
and surely I will pay for mine!
And we will take a cup of kindness yet
for times gone by!

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Auld Lang Syne

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

“Auld Lang Syne” is a Scots poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and set to the tune of a traditional folk song (Round # 6294). It is well

Auld Lang Syne - for old times' sake. — Auld Lang Syne – for old times’ sake.

A beautiful quote from Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

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”.

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The tone of this whole poem/song (“Auld Lang Syne”) is wistful, emotional,

"Ring out, Wild Bells" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson — “Ring out, Wild Bells” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

sad (yet hopeful) and has a distinct sentimental touch to it – here, the poet/lyricist takes the opportunity to question the

Abba's Happy New Year! — Abba’s Happy New Year!

You and I......happy new year; happy new year! — You and I……happy new year;
happy new year!

world whether it is right that we forget so easily our old, sincere and faithful friends – our loyal and trusted “acquaintances” who have stood by us through all sorts of trials and tribulations? Should we rightly forget people who have stood by us “through thick and thin?”

From the tone of the song, it seems fairly obvious that a petty quarrel has made a rift of massive proportions in the relationship shared by two close friends – this rift has driven them further and further apart with the passage of time – it is akin to the vast oceans and seas that distance and separate one from the other. The poet is forever in favour of reconciliation and the singing of this song is the extension of an olive branch of forgiveness to his dear friend – for times gone by and for old time’s sake. In doing so, he cites various examples of the pleasant and memorable times that they have shared together as young boys – they had “run about the hillsides and pulled the daisies fine;” and they had waded in the stream from noon till dinner-time.

The poet is now “weary” of all this anger, hatred, and bitterness between them – he is so tired of this rancor that is so bitter that its depths likely touch the bottom of the sea-bed. He wonders if his friend would like to take a pint of beer with him, at the local pub, just like they always had done – a drink as a sign of goodwill, camaraderie and for old time’s sake. A time has come to share sweet memories of days

Inspirational New Year Resolutions are the ones of choice to be made!

gone by with his

friend – the poet even goes so far as to state that each man could pay for his own drink. Even as the poet writes these lines, he wonders if his old friend will finally accept this olive branch as a truce and peace-offering for the “good, old days” of their youth – the days of fun, frolic, carefree laughter and beautiful roses. There is a distinct hope here that these two friends be able to relive, just once more, the days of their youth – the days of The Seasons in the Sun.

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The Highland Dancers - from Scotland. — The Highland Dancers – from Scotland.

A Scottish Folkdance - The Round — A Scottish Folkdance – The Round

For All Good Friends who've Gathered Around — For All Good Friends who’ve Gathered Around

“Ring Out, Wild Bells” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,

The flying cloud, the frosty light

The year is dying in the night;

Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,

Ring, happy bells, across the snow:

The year is going, let him go;

Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,

For those that here we see no more,

Ring out the feud of rich and poor,

Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,

And ancient forms of party strife;

Ring in the nobler modes of life,

With sweeter manners; purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care, the sin,

The faithless coldness of the times;

Ring out, ring out thy mournful rhymes,

But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,

The civic slander and the spite;

Ring in the love of truth and right,

Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease,

Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;

Ring out the thousand wars of old,

Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,

The larger heart the kindlier hand;

Ring out the darkness of the land,

Ring in the Christ that is to be!

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Ring Out, Wild Bells

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

“Ring Out, Wild Bells” is a poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Published in 1850, the year he was appointed Poet Laureate, it forms part of In Memoriam, Tennyson’s elegy to Arthur Henry Hallam, his sister’s fiancé who died at the age of twenty-two.

According to a story widely held in Waltham Abbey, and repeated on many websites, the ‘wild bells’ in question were the bells of the Abbey Church. According to the local story, Tennyson was staying at High Beach in the vicinity and heard the bells being rung. In some versions of the story it was a particularly stormy night and the bells were being swung by the wind rather than deliberately.

“Happy New Year” by ABBA

No more champagne

and the fireworks are through
Here we are, me and you
Feeling lost and feeling blue
It’s the end of the party
And the morning seems so grey
So unlike yesterday
Now’s the time for us to say…

Happy new year
Happy new year
May we all have a vision now and then
Of a world where every neighbor is a friend
Happy new year
Happy new year
May we all have our hopes, our will to try
If we don’t we might as well lay down and die
You and I

Sometimes I see
How the brave new world arrives
And I see how it thrives
In the ashes of our lives
Oh yes, man is a fool
And he thinks he’ll be okay
Dragging on, feet of clay
Never knowing he’s astray
Keeps on going anyway…

Seems to me now
That the dreams we had before
Are all dead, nothing more
Than confetti on the floor
It’s the end of a decade
In another ten years time
Who can say what we’ll find
What lies waiting down the line
In the end of eighty-nine…

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ABBA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

ABBA was a Swedish disco/pop/dance group formed in Stockholm in 1972, comprising Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. ABBA is an acronym of the first letters of the band members’ first names (Agnetha, Benny, Björn and Anni-Frid). They became one of the most commercially successful acts in the history of popular music, topping the charts worldwide from 1975 to 1982. They are also known for winning at Eurovision in 1974, giving Sweden its first victory in the history of the contest and being the most successful group ever to take part in the competition.

ABBA has sold over 381 million albums and singles worldwide which makes them one of the best-selling music artists of all time, and the second best selling music group of all time. ABBA was the first group to come from a non-English-speaking country that enjoyed consistent success in the charts of English-speaking countries, including the UK, Ireland, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. The group also enjoyed significant success in Latin American markets, and recorded a collection of their hit songs in Spanish.

In 1999, ABBA’s music was adapted into the successful musical Mamma Mia! that toured worldwide. A film of the same name, released in 2008, became the highest-grossing film in the United Kingdom that year. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 15, 2010.

ABBA was honored at the 50th anniversary celebration of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2005, when their hit “Waterloo” was chosen as the best song in the competition’s history.

ABBA is a disco/pop group from the Seventies – as we stand today, in 2014, four decades have passed us by and the fifth decade is almost half-way through. Yet all our songs are tinged with a distinct hope for a Better Tomorrow – it is always about hopes and dreams for a new and better beginning. In short, we keep craving for a new and glorious world!

What is the sense of singing of the same things – year-in and year-out – if we intend to do absolutely nothing to improve the current deteriorating situation in our world? Do you even think it’s worth our time and energy?

The only thing that I can say – with certainty here – is that it would be immensely preferable to stop singing so fervently about hopes and dreams that we have absolutely no intention of making a reality!

Let us start – here and now – to do something CONCRETE AND POSITIVE to improve an already bad situation – a truly bad situation that is progressively worsening as the days go by. ONE GOOD DEED FAR SURPASSES TEN GOOD INTENTIONS – KEEP THIS PHILOSOPHY WELL IN MIND!

AS THE SITUATION STANDS TODAY – WE SHALL MAKE IT OUR FIRM NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION TO MAKE ALL OUR DREAMS AND HOPES A DISTINCT REALITY. WE WILL MAKE VERY SURE THAT WE WITNESS A BRAND-NEW, SUN-SOAKED DAWN OF A BETTER ERA WHERE PEACE, HARMONY, UNITY AND MUTUAL RESPECT AMONG FELLOW-BEINGS REIGNS SUPREME AND FOREVER MORE.

IT WILL BE A GLORIOUS WORLD FROM WHERE THE WORLD FEELS THE ETERNAL GOODNESS AND THE BENEVOLENT WARMTH OF THE SMILE OF THE SUPREME BEING FROM THE HEAVENS ABOVE!

LET US MAKE THIS DREAM OUR TOP AND UTMOST PRIORITY – such dreams CAN be made a reality. Have Faith in God and more importantly, have faith in yourselves!

What is of IMMEDIATE CONCERN here is that it SHALL be done – WITH or WITHOUT your help!