Auld Lang Syne: The New Year's Song No One Knows

As the clock strikes midnight on December 31st, a familiar tune will ring out worldwide. Crowds will join hands and sing "Auld Lang Syne." Yet, many people do not know the words or the history of this famous song. The phrase "auld lang syne" is old Scottish dialect. It translates roughly to "old long since," or more clearly, "for old times' sake." The song is about remembering old friendships and experiences. The lyrics we sing today come from a poem by Scottish poet Robert Burns. He sent it to a publisher in 1788. Burns said he collected the words from an older folk song. The melody is also a traditional Scottish folk tune. The song became a New Year's tradition partly because of a Canadian bandleader. Guy Lombardo and his orchestra played it at midnight during a 1929 radio broadcast. The annual broadcast made the song a holiday standard in North America and beyond. So tonight, if you forget the words, you are not alone. Simply join the chorus, a universal toast to friendship and the year gone by.