Robert Burns's 1788 poem titled “Auld Lang Syne” inspired the title of the New Year's Eve song.
Burns sent the poem to the Scots Musical Museum in 1788, describing it as an old song and suggesting that he had combined traditional material with his own writing. The text asks whether old friends and familiar experiences should be forgotten, then turns to shared memories and a toast. That emotional structure suits a year-end farewell.
The words are often treated as entirely Burns-authored, but the history is more complicated. Burns recorded or adapted existing Scots phrases and song ideas, and the melody commonly used today was attached through later musical transmission. The widely recognized tune is therefore part of a longer folk and publishing history.
The poem and song are also frequently confused with “A Red, Red Rose,” another Burns work, or with “To a Mouse,” which he wrote after disturbing a mouse's nest. Neither is the source of the New Year's Eve title. “Auld Lang Syne” became internationally prominent through public singing, recordings, and broadcasts.