“Auld Lang Syne” is the traditional New Year's Eve song that begins with the question “Should auld acquaintance be forgot.”
The lyrics are based on a Scots poem published by Robert Burns in 1788, though Burns said he had recorded words and ideas from older traditional material. The title means “old long since,” or more naturally, “for old times' sake.”
The song is commonly sung at midnight in English-speaking countries and has also spread internationally through translations and local adaptations. Its themes are friendship, memory and shared experiences, which suit a farewell to the old year.
The melody and verses can vary. Not every performance uses all the published stanzas, and some versions use only the familiar opening verse and chorus. Those variations do not change the song's identity.