Robert Burns is credited with popularizing “Auld Lang Syne” through his 1788 version.
Burns wrote down and adapted the Scots song after hearing an older traditional melody and text. He sent the words to the Scots Musical Museum, helping preserve and disseminate the song. The title means roughly “old long since,” or memories of times long past.
The song asks whether old acquaintances should be forgotten and then celebrates friendship with raised glasses and clasped hands. Its reflective theme made it suitable for farewells, reunions, and year-end transitions, especially in English-speaking countries.
Burns is often called the author of the song, but the melody and some wording predate his version. The modern association with midnight on December 31 is therefore a later cultural development rather than a tradition Burns specifically created for New Year's Eve.