Robert Burns’s 1788 poem provides the words most commonly sung for “Auld Lang Syne” at New Year’s Eve.
Burns, Scotland’s national poet, wrote down and adapted verses based partly on older Scottish songs and oral traditions. The phrase auld lang syne means “old long since,” or more naturally, “for old times’ sake.” The song asks whether old friendships and memories should be forgotten.
Its association with New Year’s Eve grew in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, especially through performances by bandleader Guy Lombardo and his orchestra. Radio and later television helped make the song a familiar midnight ritual in English-speaking countries.
Burns is often credited as the sole author, but the text draws on earlier traditional material. The melody commonly used today is also not necessarily the tune Burns originally heard, which is why versions can vary while retaining the same recognizable refrain.