Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Start The New Year's Countdown


Best movie New Year's Eve party ever:




The most commonly sung song for English-speakers on New Year's eve, "Auld Lang Syne" is an old Scottish song that was first published by the poet Robert Burns in the 1796 edition of the book, Scots Musical Museum. Burns transcribed it (and made some refinements to the lyrics) after he heard it sung by an old man from the Ayrshire area of Scotland, Burns's homeland.

But it was bandleader Guy Lombardo, and not Robert Burns, who popularized the song and turned it into a New Year's tradition. Lombardo first heard "Auld Lang Syne" in his hometown of London, Ontario, where it was sung by Scottish immigrants. When he and his brothers formed the famous dance band, Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians, the song became one of their standards. Lombardo played the song at midnight at a New Year's eve party at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City in 1929, and a tradition was born. After that, Lombardo's version of the song was played every New Year's eve from the 1930s until 1976 at the Waldorf Astoria. In the first years it was broadcast on radio, and then on television. The song became such a New Year's tradition that "Life magazine wrote that if Lombardo failed to play 'Auld Lang Syne,' the American public would not believe that the new year had really arrived."


We'll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

Happy New Year 2009!

14 comments:

  1. love that movie....love that song....Happy New Year! :)

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  2. I raise a cup of kindness to you, dear bloggy friend! Happy New Year!

    I almost used that film clip for my post, too! Yep, great minds. :)

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  3. Oh, and your new header and your floating boat are sublime!!

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  4. your new header is just great! and i love the movie when harry met sally. it always makes me laugh.

    happy new year!

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  5. Happy New Year Steviewren! I hope 2009 brings you oodles of joy, health, and good times. And prosperity and more artistic opportunities. Your blog is looking really brilliant these days!

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  6. One of the best movies ever!:)

    Your new header looks great--and the boat, too!

    Happy New Year!

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  7. I am glad that I met you.wishing you a happy new year

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  8. I knew it would be When Harry Met Sally! Perfect. I'll raise a cup of kindness to you dear bloggy friend! A happy and healthy New Year to you and yours.

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  9. Happy 2009, friend. I've meant to get an e-mail off to you to thank you for your Christmas greeting. Seems to me that you should send me an e-mail with your address. Just saying.

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  10. Yahoo to Canadian, Guy Lombardo!
    Happy New Year to you, Steviewren. I look forward to many more visits to your classy blog filled with wonderful delights and warm experiences.

    Love,

    Kat

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  11. Happy, healthy, prosperous 2009 Steviewren! I've enjoyed having you as a blog friend this past year!

    Hugs, Pat

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  12. HAPPY NEW YEAR, Stevie!! :)

    PS So...can I talk you into designing me a blog header??? I LOVE your designs. ((grin))

    **hugs**

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  13. I loved the clip from When Harry met Sally...I had forgotten that scene and will try to remember to watch that every New Years from now on! Thanks!

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  14. Thanks for the 'history' lesson Steveiwren. I enjoyed the video clip too. - Dave

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I'm glad you stopped by and I look forward to your comments. As Dr. Fraser Crane would say, "Hello, I'm listening."