The song traditionally sung at midnight on New Year’s Eve is “Auld Lang Syne,” associated with a poem by Robert Burns.
Burns wrote down a version of the Scottish song in 1788, drawing on older Scots words and melodies rather than inventing every element from nothing. The title means approximately “old long since,” or “for old times’ sake.” Its lyrics ask whether old acquaintances should be forgotten and recall friendship through shared memories.
The tune spread internationally during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Canadian bandleader Guy Lombardo helped establish the song as a New Year’s Eve broadcasting tradition in North America, where his performances were heard widely on radio and later television.
“Auld Lang Syne” is not exclusively a New Year song. It may also be used at farewells, graduations, memorials, and other moments of transition. Lyrics and melodies vary by country, but the association with midnight on December 31 remains its best-known use.