Appendix 2: 
Burns’s Auld Lang Syne—The Five Versions (B1-B5)

This Appendix contains the five extant versions of the text of Auld Lang Syne from Burns himself;¹ they are discussed in more detail in Chapter 3:

B1 The version sent to Frances Dunlop, 7 December 1788

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And never thought upon?

Let’s hae a waught o’ Malaga,

For auld lang syne.—

Chorus

For auld lang syne, my jo,

For auld lang syne;

Let’s hae a waught o’ Malaga,

For auld lang sy[n]e.—

And surely ye’ll be your pint-stoup!

And surely I’ll be mine!

And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,

For auld lang syne.—

For auld &c.

We twa hae run about the braes,

And pou’t the gowans fine;

But we’ve wander’d mony a weary foot

Sin auld lang syne.—

For auld &c.

We twa hae paidl’t i’ the burn

Frae morning sun till dine;

But seas between us braid hae roar’d,

Sin auld lang syne.—

For auld &c.

And there’s a han’, my trusty fiere,

And gie’s a han’ o’ thine!

And we’ll tak a right gudewilly waught,

For auld lang syne!—

B2 The version published in The Scots Musical Museum, 1796

Should auld acquaintance be forgot

And never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And auld lang syne!

Chorus

For auld lang syne my jo,

For auld lang syne,

We’ll tak a *cup o’ kindness yet

for auld lang syne.

And surely ye’ll be your pint stowp!

And surely I’ll be mine!

And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,

For auld lang syne.

For auld &c.

We twa hae run about the braes,

And pou’d the gowans fine;

But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fitt,

Sin auld lang syne.

For auld &c.

We twa hae paidl’d in the burn,

Frae morning sun till dine;

But seas between us braid hae roar’d,

Sin auld lang syne.

For auld &c.

And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere!

And gie’s a hand o’ thine!

And we’ll tak a right gude-willie-waught,

For auld lang syne.

For auld &c.

*Some Sing, Kiss, in place of Cup

B3 A version written by Burns into a copy of vol. I of the Scots Musical Museum

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And days o’ lang syne?

Chorus

And for auld lang syne, my jo,

For auld lang syne,

We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,

For auld lang syne.

And surely ye’ll be your pint-stowp!

And surely I’ll be mine!

And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,

For auld lang syne.

And for, &c.

We twa hae run about the braes,

And pu’d the gowans fine;

But we’ve wander’d mony a weary foot

Sin auld lang syne.

And for, &c.

We twa hae paidl’d i’ the burn,

Frae mornin’ sun till dine;

But seas between us braid hae roar’d,

Sin auld lang syne.

And for, &c.

And there’s a hand my trusty fiere!

And gies a hand o’ thine!

And we’ll tak a right gude-willy waught

For auld lang syne.

And for, &c.

B4 The version sent to George Thomson, September 1793

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintaince be forgot,

And days o’ lang syne?

CHORUS.

For auld lang syne, my Dear,

For auld lang syne,

We”ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,

For auld lang syne—

We twa hae run about the braes,

And pu’t the gowans fine;

But we’ve wander’d mony a weary foot,

Sin auld lang syne.—

For auld &c.

We twa hae paidlet i’ the burn,

Frae mornin sun till dine:

But seas between us braid hae roar’d

Sin auld lang syne.—

For auld &c.

And there’s a hand, my trusty feire,

And gie’s a hand o’ thine;

And we’ll tak a right gude-willie waught

For auld lang syne.—

For auld &c.

And surely ye’ll be your pint-stowp,

And surely I’ll be mine;

And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,

For auld lang syne.—

For auld &c.

B5 What may have been a “working version”, now held in the Burns Cottage Museum in Alloway

And surely ye’ll be your pint stoup,

And surely I’ll be mine;

And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,

For auld lang syne.—

We twa hae run about the braes,

And pou’t the gowans fine;

But we’ve wandered mony a weary fitt

Sin auld lang syne.—

We twa hae paidl’t in the burn

Frae morning sun till dine,

But seas between us braid hae roar’d

Sin auld lang syne.—

And there’s a hand, [paper torn]

And gie’s a hand[paper torn]

And we’ll tak a righ[paper torn]

For auld lang [paper torn]