From Yorkshire’s black and white rabbits, to Hogmanay in Scotland, to the spectacular annual pyrotechnics of England’s London Eye, British New Year’s Eve traditions have become one of the most fundamental parts of welcoming the nation’s New Year.  

Perhaps one of the most famous traditions, bar the myriad of fireworks seen bursting bold and brilliant against the dark winter sky, is the melody sung by millions across the country as the clock chimes the twelve strokes to midnight: Auld Lang Syne. 

The tune’s original lyrics were inscribed in broad Scots, by Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1788, and set to the traditional tune later in 1799, although it is noted the actual song was based on a pre-existing Scottish folk song that had been passage for years beforehand. The phrase ‘auld lang syne’ can be translated into a modern English meaning of ‘old long since’, or perhaps, ‘long, ago’. Thus, the first line of the chorus, ‘for auld lang syne’ could be roughly translated as ‘for the sake of old times’. The phrase is not new, having been used in several other poems and older folk songs written earlier than Burns’ song.  

The song teaches to never forget ‘old acquaintance[s]’, a solemn prompt to appreciate and cherish memories and loved ones as the year begins anew. Hence, the song is also played at graduations, funerals, and other events at which something else is being bid farewell, and is utilised widely by the international Scout Movement, in which it is a favoured song to close conventions and other occasions. 

At New Year especially, it is tradition for people to join hands and sing in a linked circle, crossing their arms on the line ‘and there’s a hand, my trusty fiere!/ and gie’s a hand o’ thine’.  

But what makes it so notable? Zillah Myers, a local Ealing piano teacher, explained ‘Auld Lang Syne uses a pentatonic melody, which is a five note scale most commonly associated with oriental music, but has been used in many musical cultures and is very common in European folk and celtic melodies. Other well known songs based on the pentatonic scale are 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot' and 'Amazing Grace'.’

‘Interestingly, one of the things that gives many folk (and celtic) tunes their unique character is that they are often based on a different scale rather than the more common major and minor diatonic scales that we are used to hearing in a lot of classical and pop music. For example, many folk tunes use the Dorian mode, which can be most simply worked out by playing the white notes starting from the note D which gives a different pattern of tones and semi-tones (and therefore a different sound) than a conventional scale. Many other common folk songs like 'What shall we do with the drunken sailor' and 'Scarborough Fair' also use the Dorian mode.’

‘The structure of Auld Lang Syne is a conventional verse-chorus form with a limited note range and considerable repetition making it relatively easy to sing and remember. This is typical of traditional songs of all styles which tend to be handed down aurally rather than via music notation, so need to use a relatively simple melody. The rhythm of the melody fits very comfortably with the way the words are spoken, again making the song easier to sing and remember.’

A standard in music, Auld Lang Syne has been re-recorded countless times, in all manners of style, genre and artists, and continues to serve as a familiarly nostalgic, sentimental and evocative melody on which to behold the final seconds of the year.