Robert Burns's 1788 poem “Auld Lang Syne” became the source of the lyrics commonly sung at New Year's Eve.
Burns wrote down and adapted Scots verses associated with an older traditional song. The phrase “auld lang syne” means something like “old long since” or “for old times' sake.” The song's themes of friendship, memory, and shared experience made it suitable for farewells and year-end gatherings.
The melody and wording have circulated in several versions, so performances are not always identical. The song became especially associated with New Year's celebrations through social traditions and mass media, eventually spreading far beyond Scotland and the English-speaking world.
Burns also wrote “To a Mouse,” “Tam o' Shanter,” and “A Red, Red Rose,” but none of those is the standard New Year's Eve song. The poem's date is often simplified in popular accounts; Burns's handwritten version is generally dated 1788, while the song's wider publication and musical history developed later.