The Meaning of Auld Lang Syne

Remember the movie, When Harry Met Sally, more specifically, that New Year's Eve scene when Harry asks Sally about the meaning of Auld Lang Syne?  

Harry: "What does this song mean? My whole life, I don't know what this song means. I mean, 'Should old acquaintance be forgot'? Does that mean that we should forget old acquaintances, or does it mean if we happened to forget them, we should remember them, which is not possible because we already forgot?"

Sally: "Well, maybe it just means that we should remember that we forgot them or something. Anyway, it's about old friends."

Auld Lang Syne is a Scottish phrase that translates to "times gone by" or "long, long ago.” Its significance today comes from a poem by Robert Burns written in 1788 that was then adapted to song. The poem, meant to convey the sense of longing for the past and old acquaintances, was paired with a traditional Scottish folk song and today is often heard at celebrations, graduations and, of course, the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve.

Singing Auld Lang Syne became a Scottish custom and spread to other parts of the British Isles. Scottish, English and Welsh residents brought the song with them as they emigrated around the world. Singer and radio host Guy Lombardo is credited with linking the song with New Year’s when his band, the Royal Canadians, performed the tune between two radio programs in New York in 1929. The event was broadcast live on radio, and by coincidence, it happened to play right after midnight. Lombardo went on to host New Year’s Eve gigs for many years and his program was the forerunner to Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.

Happy New Year!