Twenty Thousand Hertz Auld Lang What? The surprising origins of the New Year’s song
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Dec 31, 2025 Lizzie Peabody, host of the Smithsonian's Side Door, chats with Jim Deutsch, curator of Folklife and Popular Culture, about the origins of "Auld Lang Syne." They delve into the song's roots in rural Scotland, highlighting Robert Burns' influence. Jim reveals how 19th-century customs and Guy Lombardo's radio shows helped popularize the song in America. The emotional resonance of Charlie Chaplin's film scene, alongside its enduring themes of nostalgia and community, showcases why we sing it every New Year’s.
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Song's Scottish Roots And Early Use
- Auld Lang Syne originated in Scotland and entered public life long before it became a US New Year staple.
- Newspapers show it was one of several songs chimed at midnight, not yet the singular tradition.
Guy Lombardo's Radio-To-TV Moment
- Guy Lombardo, a Canadian bandleader, played Auld Lang Syne at Roosevelt Grill in Manhattan every New Year's Eve starting in 1929.
- His radio and later TV broadcasts helped cement the song as an American New Year tradition.
Chaplin's Gold Rush Scene
- Charlie Chaplin's 1925 film The Gold Rush includes a memorable New Year's Eve scene where people sing Auld Lang Syne.
- Chaplin staged the moment to create communal longing and pathos around the song long before Lombardo's broadcasts.