Scottish poet Robert Burns is credited with popularizing the New Year's Eve song “Auld Lang Syne.”
Burns sent a version of the song to the Scots Musical Museum in 1788, describing it as an old song. He likely combined older Scottish words and melodies with material he collected or adapted. The title means “old long since,” or more naturally, “for old times’ sake.”
The song asks whether old friendships should be forgotten and traditionally calls for remembering past companions. Its reflective lyrics helped make it suitable for farewells, reunions, and year-end ceremonies. The familiar tune is repeated in many countries, although pronunciation and lyrics vary widely.
Burns did not necessarily invent every line or the entire melody. That is why “wrote Auld Lang Syne” can be an oversimplification. His major role was preserving, shaping, and publishing the version that became internationally famous, especially through Scottish diaspora communities.