Robert Burns is credited with writing the lyrics commonly sung as “Auld Lang Syne” at New Year's celebrations.
Burns wrote down and adapted the song in 1788, drawing on older Scottish verses and a traditional melody. The phrase “auld lang syne” means something like “old long since” or “for old times’ sake.” Its themes of friendship, memory, and shared history made it especially suitable for marking a transition into a new year.
The song became widely known beyond Scotland during the nineteenth century. Bandleader Guy Lombardo helped establish its strong association with New Year's Eve in North America through repeated radio and later television broadcasts beginning in the 1920s.
People often assume Burns composed every part of the song from scratch. In fact, he preserved and reshaped traditional material. Different countries sing different translations or adaptations, but the English-language version most familiar at midnight is linked to Burns’s 1788 text.