Not the same Auld Lang Syne

On New Year’s Eve, ringing in 2014, I was invited to play a few songs as part of a show organized by friend BJ Leiderman (of NPR theme song fame) at the White Horse in Black Mountain, NC. It was a fun night, with a broad variety of music and even some poetry. Mostly it was a night for dancing, and the room was loud and electric.

When I came on to sing, the room was buzzing with happy conversation, but about a minute and a half into the song, the audience quieted, and they were wonderfully focused and generous with their attention for the rest of the set.

I wrote some new lyrics to Auld Lang Syne earlier that night and Kurt Loveland shot this amateur video from his table. Since several folks have written to ask for those lyrics, I’ll share the video and words here.

Happy New Year! Here’s to possibility…

It’s been a rocky road at times
I’ve lost friends I held dear
But still I face with hopeful heart
The turning of the year

We’ve looked back on the year that’s gone
Let’s now turn to the new
Whate’er the year will bring, I’m glad
To start it here with you

(chorus)

The years now gone brought friends to me
I’d never loved before
So what a foolish man I’d be
To think there’ll be no more