Robert Burns is credited with writing the best-known version of “Auld Lang Syne.”
Burns was a Scottish poet and lyricist who lived from 1759 to 1796. In 1788, he sent a version of the song’s words to the Scottish publisher James Johnson, explaining that he had gathered the material from an old song. This means Burns is associated with the celebrated text, but he did not necessarily invent every part of the song from scratch.
The phrase “auld lang syne” means “old long since” in Scots and expresses remembrance of earlier times. The song later became connected with farewell ceremonies and New Year’s Eve, especially through its spread in the English-speaking world during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Burns is also known as the national poet of Scotland. His birthday, January 25, is celebrated at Burns suppers, where his poetry and Scottish cultural traditions are honored.