Auld Lang Syne, written down by Robert Burns in 1788, is commonly sung at midnight on New Year's Eve.
The title is Scots and is usually translated as “old long since,” or more naturally, “for old times' sake.” Burns sent a version of the poem to the Scots Musical Museum in 1788, saying that it came from an old song. His text therefore combines older traditional material with his own literary shaping.
The melody now widely associated with the words was paired with the song in the nineteenth century. Its international spread accelerated through performances by bandleader Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians, whose radio broadcasts made it a familiar part of North American New Year's celebrations.
The song is not exclusively a New Year's song. It can also mark farewells, reunions, graduations, and memorial occasions. Its central theme is remembering old friendships rather than celebrating a particular calendar system.