Who wrote the poem commonly sung as “Auld Lang Syne” at New Year’s celebrations?

Robert Burns wrote the poem commonly sung as “Auld Lang Syne” at New Year’s celebrations.

Burns sent a version of the Scots poem to the Scots Musical Museum in 1788, although he described parts of the text as coming from an older traditional song. The phrase “auld lang syne” means “old long since” and is commonly understood as referring to days gone by or times long past.

The familiar melody became strongly associated with New Year’s Eve in the English-speaking world during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It is also used at reunions, farewells, graduations, and other moments of transition.

The song is often sung with repeated lines and linked arms, but wording and verses vary. Many performances use only the first verse and chorus, while Burns’s text contains additional verses about friendship and shared memories.