The famous song commonly sung at midnight on New Year’s Eve in English-speaking countries is “Auld Lang Syne.”
The song uses a Scots phrase meaning roughly “old long since,” or “for old times’ sake.” Its words are associated with the Scottish poet Robert Burns, who sent a version of the song to the Scots Musical Museum in 1788. The familiar melody was paired with the lyrics in later arrangements.
The song became strongly linked with New Year’s celebrations through public performances and broadcasts, especially after Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians popularized it in North America. It is now used at farewells and commemorations as well as at midnight.
Although widely treated as a universal New Year anthem, wording, pronunciation, and verses vary. Many midnight crowds sing only the first verse and refrain.