Happy Birthday Mom (and Robbie Burns)!

Robert Burns was born on this day in 1759 in Alloway, Ayrshire, Scotland and died the 21st of July, 1796. Today (Robbie Burns Day) is the 250th anniversary of the birth of Scotland's favorite poet and bard. A handy time line of his life can be found here. Among other things he is author of the oh so famous song "Auld Lang Syne" (FYI translated from Scots auld lang-syne literally means "old long since" or "old long ago". I like to think it's use in the song is like "for old times sake" but that's just me). Did you know Auld Lang Syne was fitted to music after his death? It's true, it was a poem until then. He actually wrote almost no original music, preferring instead to adapt his poems to folk songs and music he found lying around. His poems were lyrical, heartfelt, sometimes bawdy, sometimes unabashedly romantic, sometimes thrilling, always in Scots dialect, and always with an essence of championing Scottish culture (in one form or another). Other less well known poems that I've heard of include "A Red, Red Rose", "Coming Thro' the Rye", and "A Man's a Man for A' That". Good times.

A Red, Red Rose (Mom warning! Although this is a happy love song, please note that this version is pretty sad sounding so you'll probably snivel):

A Man's a Man for A' That (this video is part of a series of similar animations of the famous Robbie Burns portrait saying some of his poems):

p.s. You know who does a good version of Auld Lang Syne? A new Scottish singer named Paolo Nutini. He also does a cover of Bang Bang that I like.

p.p.s. Robbie Burns night also means that Mom has had haggis on her birthday every year since little cp started highland dancing. Although this year she had Mexican at Mazatlan, her new fave restaurant. Happy Birthday Mom! xxxxxxoooooo

Update: Props to D for pointing out that I never actually mentioned that I was talking about Robbie Burns anywhere in the main body of the post. Silly me.