Same Old Lang Syne - wikipedia Same Old Lang Syne `` Same Old Lang Syne '' Picture sleeve for the U.S. vinyl release Single by Dan Fogelberg from the album The Innocent Age B - side `` Hearts and Crafts '' Released November 1980 Format 7 '' single Genre Soft rock Length 5 : 18 Label Full Moon Songwriter ( s ) Dan Fogelberg Producer ( s ) Dan Fogelberg, Marty Lewis Dan Fogelberg singles chronology `` Heart Hotels '' ( 1980 ) `` Same Old Lang Syne '' ( 1980 ) `` Hard to Say '' ( 1981 ) `` Same Old Lang Syne '' is a song written and sung by Dan Fogelberg released as a single in 1980. It was also included on his 1981 album The Innocent Age. The song is an autobiographical narrative ballad told in the first person and tells the story of two long - ago romantic interests meeting by chance in a grocery store on Christmas Eve. The song peaked at # 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and is now frequently played during the holiday season and alongside traditional Christmas songs. Contents 1 Content 2 Origins 3 Association with Christmas 4 Musicians 5 Chart performance 5.1 Weekly charts 5.2 Year - end charts 6 References 7 External links Content The narrator is reunited with an old flame at a grocery store on a snowy Christmas Eve. She does n't recognize him at first glance and when the two reach to embrace, she drops her purse causing them to laugh until they cry. They eventually decide to have a drink somewhere, but are unable to find any open bar. Settling on a six - pack purchased at a liquor store, they proceed to drink it in her car while they talk. The pair toast innocence of the past as well as the present. The subsequent verse describes the two pushing through their initial awkwardness and discussing their current lives. The lover went on to marry an architect and is seemingly content with her life, though she married for security instead of love. The narrator then says that as a musician he loves performing but hates touring. After consuming all of the beer, they exchange their goodbyes and the woman kisses him before he gets out of the car and she drives away. He flashes back to school and the pain of their previous breakup ; as he turns toward home, it begins raining. The melody is based on the 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky and ends with a soprano saxophone solo by Michael Brecker based on the melody from the original `` Auld Lang Syne ''. Origins As Fogelberg said on his official website, the song was autobiographical. He was visiting family back home in Peoria, Illinois in the mid-1970s when he ran into an old girlfriend at a convenience store. Fogelberg stated in interviews that he did n't recall precisely whether the chance meeting with his ex-girlfriend was in 1975 or 1976, though he leaned toward 1975. After Fogelberg 's death from prostate cancer in 2007, the woman in the song, Jill Anderson Greulich, came forward with her story. Greulich told of how she and Fogelberg dated in high school. As she explained to the Peoria Journal Star in an article dated December 22, 2007, the pair knew each other in Peoria, Illinois as part of the Woodruff High School class of 1969. After graduation, each attended different colleges. Following college, Greulich married and moved to Chicago, while Fogelberg moved to Colorado to pursue a music career. While back in Peoria visiting their respective families for Christmas in 1975, Fogelberg and Greulich ran into each other on Christmas Eve at a convenience store located at 1302 East Frye Avenue in the Abington Hill district. Greulich confirmed that together, they bought a six pack of beer and drank it in her car for two hours while they talked. Five years later, after the song was released, Greulich heard the song on the radio for the first time while driving to work, but kept quiet about it, as Fogelberg also refused to disclose her identity. She stated that her reason for remaining quiet about her involvement in the song 's narrative was that coming forward would disrupt Fogelberg 's marriage. Greulich noted that Fogelberg had taken artistic license with two details of the story : her eyes are green, not blue, and her husband was a physical education teacher, not an architect. In regard to the line, `` She would have liked to say she loved the man, but she did n't like to lie, '' Greulich will not talk about it, but by the time of the song 's release, she and her husband had divorced. Association with Christmas `` Same Old Lang Syne '' is frequently played on radio stations during the American holiday season. The song 's opening lyrics reveal that the narrative takes place on a snowy Christmas Eve and they end with a second acknowledgment of snow. Since the song 's release, these references and the musical quote of `` Auld Lang Syne '', a song traditionally sung on New Year 's Eve, have increased the song 's popularity during the month of December. The song debuted on the Hot 100 's top 40, at # 37, on 27 December 1980, between Christmas and New Year 's Eve. Musicians Dan Fogelberg : Piano, bass, electric piano, lead and background vocals Glen Spreen : orchestral arrangements Russ Kunkel : Drums Michael Brecker : Soprano saxophone Chart performance Weekly charts Chart ( 1980 -- 81 ) Peak position New Zealand 23 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 9 U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary 8 U.S. Cash Box Top 100 7 Year - end charts Chart ( 1981 ) Rank U.S. Billboard Hot 100 79 U.S. Cash Box 60 References Jump up ^ `` Same Old Lang Syne ''. 45cat. Retrieved 2018 - 02 - 09. Jump up ^ Weil, Martin. `` Dan Fogelberg ; Soft - Rock Star Penned ' Same Old Lang Syne ' ''. washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 12 August 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` Dan Fogelberg -- Same Old Lang Syne Lyrics ''. ^ Jump up to : `` Frequently Asked Questions ''. Dan Fogelberg. 2003. Retrieved 2016 - 09 - 30. Jump up ^ http://www.pjstar.com/x1101623574/Luciano-Its-a-memory-that-I-cherish Jump up ^ Luciano, Phil ( 2007 - 12 - 22 ). `` ' It 's a memory that I cherish ' ''. Journal Star. Peoria, Illinois. Archived from the original on 2013 - 05 - 18. Retrieved 2016 - 09 - 30. Jump up ^ `` The official NZ Music Charts 03 MAY 1981 ''. Jump up ^ Joel Whitburn 's Top Pop Singles 1955 - 2002 Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 1993 ). Top Adult Contemporary : 1961 -- 1993. Record Research. p. 89. Jump up ^ `` CASH BOX Top 100 Singles ''. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Hits of 1981 / Top 100 Songs of 1981 ''. Jump up ^ `` The CASH BOX Year - End Charts : 1981 ''. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Dan Fogelberg Studio albums Home Free Souvenirs Captured Angel Nether Lands Phoenix The Innocent Age Windows and Walls High Country Snows Exiles The Wild Places River of Souls Collaboration albums Twin Sons of Different Mothers No Resemblance Whatsoever Live albums Dan Fogelberg Live : Greetings from the West Compilation albums Greatest Hits Love Songs The Very Best of Dan Fogelberg Singles `` Longer '' `` Heart Hotels '' `` Same Old Lang Syne '' `` Hard to Say '' `` Leader of the Band '' `` Run for the Roses '' `` Missing You '' `` Make Love Stay '' `` Believe in Me '' `` Rhythm of the Rain '' Songs `` Lovers in a Dangerous Time '' `` Stars '' `` To the Morning '' Related articles Discography Tim Weisberg Book : Dan Fogelberg Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Same_Old_Lang_Syne&oldid=865225811 '' Categories : 1980 songs 1981 singles Dan Fogelberg songs Songs written by Dan Fogelberg Full Moon Records singles Hidden categories : Articles with hAudio microformats All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from May 2017 Talk Contents About Wikipedia 日本 語 Edit links This page was last edited on 22 October 2018, at 15 : 47 ( UTC ). 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Question: song about old lovers meeting in grocery store
Answer: Same Old Lang Syne