"Auld Lang Syne (The New Year's Anthem)" is a song by American singer and songwriter

Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...

from her second Christmas album/thirteenth studio album, ''

Merry Christmas II You ''Merry Christmas II You'' is the thirteenth studio album and second Christmas album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released by Island Records on November 2, 2010. Recording began in April 2010 and continued while Carey becam ...

'' (2010). The second single from the album, an

extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.

consisting of nine remixes was released by

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on December 14, 2010. Using the public domain poem "

Auld Lang Syne "Auld Lang Syne" (: note "s" rather than "z") is a popular song, particularly in the English-speaking world. Traditionally, it is sung to bid farewell to the old year at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve. By extension, it is also often ...

" by

Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...

, Carey along with

Randy Jackson Randall Darius Jackson (born June 23, 1956) is an American record executive and television presenter, perhaps best known as a judge on ''American Idol'' from 2002 to 2013. Jackson began his career in the 1980s as a session musician playing bas ...

and Johnny "Sev" Severin (of

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) composed a new arrangement, added lyrics and re-titled it. The track garnered a negative response from critics, all of whom disliked how Carey had re-composed the poem into a

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song. An accompanying music video was released featuring a pregnant Carey singing in front of a background of exploding fireworks. "Auld Lang Syne (The New Year's Anthem)" charted on the lower regions of the South Korean international singles charts and at number nine on the US Holiday Digital Songs chart.

Background and composition

"Auld Lang Syne (The New Year's Anthem)" is a re-write of "

" by Scottish poet and lyricist

, which was written in 1788 and published in

James Johnson James Johnson may refer to: Artists, actors, authors, and musicians *James Austin Johnson (born 1989), American comedian & actor, ''Saturday Night Live'' cast member *James B. Johnson (born 1944), author of science nonfiction novels *James P. John ...

's ''

Scots Musical Museum The ''Scots Musical Museum'' was an influential collection of traditional folk music of Scotland published from 1787 to 1803. While it was not the first collection of Scottish folk songs and music, the six volumes with 100 songs in each collected ...

'' in 1796. However, as noted by the

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's Pauline Mackay, Burns often re-arranged and rewrote old songs before publishing them as his own work, and is thus listed under the public domain. Mariah Carey's version is a new arrangement that uses some of the original lyrics by Burns, and was composed by Carey with

and Johnny "Sev" Severin. The singer's vocals were recorded by Brian Garten at Henson Studios and

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, both located in Los Angeles, California. The music for the song was recorded by Severin, Keith Gretlein and Garten. It was mixed by

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and Damien Lewis at The Ninja Beat Club in Atlanta, Georgia. All instrumentation was performed by Severin, apart from the piano which was played by James "Big Jim" Wright. Background vocals were performed Melonie Daniels, Sherry McGhee and Onitsha Shaw. Rye Songs administered by songs of Universal (BMI)/Hope Faith Destiny Music Group (BMI); 2101 Songs Admin. By Sony/ATV (BMI). Johnny "Sev" Severin appears on behalf of

Productions. It appears as the thirteenth and final song on the standard track listing of ''

'' (2010). On December 14, 2010, Carey released

Extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.

of nine remixes by (five by

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and four by Johnny Vicious) as a digital download on

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. "Auld Lang Syne (The New Year's Anthem)" is a

track with a "thumping" instrumental according to Rich Juzwiak of ''

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'', that lasts for three minutes and forty-seven seconds. At one point in the song, Carey says "Does anybody really know the words?"

Critical reception

"Auld Lang Syne (The New Year's Anthem)" garnered a negative response from critics. Mike Diver of the BBC wrote that Carey shows restraint for the most part of the album, but "Auld Lang Syne (The New Year's Anthem)" as the final track is "slathered in cheesy beats". ''

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'' writer Caryn Ganz disapproved of the dance beat, saying "It's hard to figure out what's 'extra festive' (as the full song title promises) about her 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' update, and far easier to determine what's wrong with 'Auld Lang Syne' (an awkward dance beat)." Juzwiak was critical of the song, describing it as "robotic".

Music video

A music video for "Auld Lang Syne (The New Year's Anthem)" was released on December 15, 2010. A pregnant Carey, who only moves from the waist up, wears a black laced dress while standing in front of a green screen, which depict exploding fireworks in the nights sky. Becky Bain for ''

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'' positively reviewed the video, writing "There is something so endlessly entertaining about watching Mariah Carey do her patented diva theatrics — waving her arms like a crazy hand model; tenderly stroking her hair; spinning around dramatically."

Track listings

*;Digital download (Album Version)

"Auld Lang Syne (The New Year's Anthem)" –

*;Digital download (Remixes) #"Auld Lang Syne (The New Year's Anthem)" [

Traditional Club Mix] – #"Auld Lang Syne (The New Year's Anthem)" [Rosario Traditional Mixshow] – #"Auld Lang Syne (The New Year's Anthem)" [Rosario Traditional Radio Edit] – #"Auld Lang Syne (The New Year's Anthem)" alphi's Alternative Club Mixnbsp;– #"Auld Lang Syne (The New Year's Anthem)" alphi's Alternative Mixshow Editnbsp;– #"Auld Lang Syne (The New Year's Anthem)" ohnny Vicious Warehouse Mixnbsp;– #"Auld Lang Syne (The New Year's Anthem)" ohnny Vicious Warehouse Radionbsp;– #"Auld Lang Syne (The New Year's Anthem)" ohnny Vicious Warehouse Dubnbsp;– #"Auld Lang Syne (The New Year's Anthem)" ohnny Vicious Warehouse Mix –

Charts

Release history

References

{{authority control 2010 songs 2010 singles Mariah Carey songs Songs written by Mariah Carey Poetry by Robert Burns Songs with lyrics by Robert Burns Songs written by Randy Jackson House music songs Songs based on poems New Year songs