No, although it is associated with New Year, Auld Lang Syne is also sung to symbolise other endings or new chapters including funerals, farewells and graduations. When the song finishes, the crowd rushes to the middle still linked by their hands and after they rush out again, they turn underneath the arms to then face outwards. At the start of the final verse, everyone then crosses their arms across their chests so that their right arm links to their neighbour’s left. Traditions at New YearĪuld Lang Syne is traditionally sung at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve in Scotland and around the world, especially in English-speaking countries.Īt Hogmanay in Scotland, traditionally everyone joins hands to form a large circle. He is widely considered Scotland’s national poet and is best known for being part of a group who wrote in the Scots language. Some of the lyrics were collated along with his own – the ballad “Old Long Syne” printed in 1711 by James Watson has some similarities in the first verse to Burns’, for example. He was a Scottish poet and wrote the poem “Auld Lang Syne” in 1788. He was also known as Rabbie Burns and the Bard of Ayrshire. Thought to contain material collected from other sources, rather than being a wholly original work, Auld Lang Syne is sung around the world to welcome the new year, as well as at. We twa hae run about the braes, And poud the gowans fine But weve wanderd mony a weary fit, Sin auld lang syne. Robert Burns was born in 1759 and died in 1796. And surely yell be your pint-stoup, And surely Ill be mine And well tak a cup o kindness yet, For auld lang syne. Fireworks light up Big Ben and the London Eye just after midnight on 1 January (Photo: Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images) Lyricsīut the broad seas have roared between usĪnd we will take an excellent good-will drink

Rabbie burns auld lang syne