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An Old Rhyme for the New Year and the Custom of the Quaaltagh

Friday, December 28th, 2007

New Years is almost here. I found a rhyme that used to be sung on the Isle of Man. Isle of Man is an island that’s located between Great Britain and Ireland in the Irish Sea. It’s a British crown dependency, but it’s not a part of the UK or the European Union.

The rhyme is associated with a custom called the quaaltagh. The quaaltagh or qualtagh is actually the first person who steps foot into your house on the morning of the New Year. Young men would go from house to house singing the rhyme on New Year’s morning. After singing the rhyme, they’d be invited inside for food and drink. For superstitious reasons, it was important that the boy or man with the darkest complexion enter first – that he be the quaaltagh. It’s considered bad luck for a person with light hair to be the first to enter a house in the New Year.

Here’s the rhyme:

Again we assemble, a merry New Year
To wish to each one of the family here,
Whether man, woman, or girl, or boy,
That long life and happiness all may enjoy;
May they of potatoes and herrings have plenty,
With butter and cheese, and each other dainty;
And may their sleep never, by night or day,
Disturbed be by even the tooth of a flea:
Until at the Quaaltagh again we appear,
To wish you, as now, all a happy New Year.

Happy New Year to all of you! Remember on New Year’s morning to have the person with darker hair and complexion enter the house first and be the quaaltagh. It’s considered good luck that way!

-Mama Lisa

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Posted in Countries & Cultures, Customs, English, English Nursery Rhymes, Folk Lore, Great Britain, Holiday Songs, Holidays Around the World, Isle of Man, Languages, Mama Lisa, Manx Gaelic, New Years, New Years Songs, Nursery Rhymes | 1 Comment »

Does Anyone Know of Any Easy New Years Songs from Anywhere Around the World?

Wednesday, November 14th, 2007

Amanda wrote:

I am an elementary music teacher, and my first graders are doing a show about holiday traditions from around the world. I was wondering if you knew of any EASY songs I could have them sing for the new year celebrations…

Thank you,

Amanda Tafel

If anyone can help out Amanda, please comment below. I’m sure it would be helping a lot of teachers at this time of year.

Thanks!

-Mama Lisa

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Posted in Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, Holiday Songs, Holidays Around the World, Languages, Mama Lisa, New Years, New Years Songs, Questions | 1 Comment »

A Nursery Song about New Year’s Day – “I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing By”

Saturday, December 31st, 2005

I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing By

I saw three ships come sailing by,
Come sailing by, come sailing by.
I saw three ships come sailing by,
On New Year’s Day in the morning.

And what do you think was in them then?
Was in them then, was in them then?
And what do you think was in them then,
On New Year’s Day in the morning?

Three pretty girls were in them then,
Were in them then, were in them then.
Three pretty girls were in them then,
On New Year’s Day in the morning.

And one could whistle, and one could sing,
And one could play on the violin,
Such joy there was at my wedding,
On New Year’s Day in the morning.

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Posted in British Children's Songs, Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, English, English Nursery Rhymes, Great Britain, Holidays Around the World, I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing By, I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing By, I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing By, Languages, New Years, New Years Songs, Nursery Rhymes, Nursery Rhymes about Holidays, Nursery Rhymes about January, Nursery Rhymes about the Months, Nursery Rhymes or Sayings about the New Year | 3 Comments »

“Auld Lang Syne” for New Year’s Eve

Monday, December 26th, 2005

Auld Lang Syne is the most popular New Year’s Eve song in the English speaking world and elsewhere. Guy Lombardo began the tradition of ringing in the new year with the tune in 1929. He and his band played it on the radio and then counted down till midnight. Every year from then till 1976 Lombardo played it for the occasion, on the radio and later on TV.

Originally, dating back at least to the 1600’s, Auld Lang Syne was a Scottish folk song. Then around 1788, the Scotch poet Robert Burns added two verses and his friend George Thompson put Burn’s lyrics to the tune of another Scottish song The Miller’s Wedding. That’s the version we hear today.

Below are the lyrics to the popular short version of Auld Lang Syne and the longer version based on the Robert Burns Poem, with explanations of the meanings of the Scottish words plus an mp3 recording.

Auld Lang Syne (literally Old Long Since, meaning Old or Way Long Ago)

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days of auld lang syne?

(Chorus)
For auld lang syne, my dear
For auld lang syne,
We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

And there’s a hand my trusty fiere (friend),
And gie’s (give us) a hand o’ thine
We’ll take a right guid-willie (good will) waught (drink),
For auld lang syne.

(Chorus)

Here’s the longer version of Auld Lang Syne by Robert Burns (1759-1796)…

MP3 of Auld Lang Syne by Ruth Golding

Auld Lang Syne
by Robert Burns

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And days of auld lang syne?

(Chorus)
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet
For auld lang syne

We twa (two) hae (have) run about the braes (hillsides)
And pu’d (pulled) the gowans (daisies) fine;
We’ve wander’d mony (many) a weary foot
Sin’ auld lang syne

(Chorus)

We twa hae paidled (waded) i’ the burn (brook),
Frae mornin’ sun till dine (noon);
But seas between us braid (broad) hae roar’d
Sin’ auld lang syne

(Chorus)

And there’s a hand my trusty fiere (friend),
And gie’s (give us) a hand o’ thine
We’ll take a right guid-willie (good will) waught (drink),
For auld lang syne.

(Chorus)

And surely ye’ll be (pay for) your pint-stowp (about a 3 pint cup)!
And surely I’ll be mine!
And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

(Chorus)

Happy New Year’s!

Lisa

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Posted in Auld Lang Syne, Auld Lang Syne, Auld Lang Syne, Countries & Cultures, English, Folk Songs, Holiday Songs, Holidays Around the World, Languages, MP3's, New Years, New Years Songs, Poetry, Recordings of Songs, Robert Burns, Scotland, Scottish, Scottish Folk Songs | 4 Comments »

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Posts

An Old Rhyme for the New Year and the Custom of the Quaaltagh

Does Anyone Know of Any Easy New Years Songs from Anywhere Around the World?

A Nursery Song about New Year’s Day – “I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing By”

“Auld Lang Syne” for New Year’s Eve