Which New Year's Eve song was written by Robert Burns in 1788?

Robert Burns wrote “Auld Lang Syne” in 1788, and the song later became strongly associated with New Year's Eve.

Burns was a Scottish poet who sent a version of the song to the Scots Musical Museum in 1788. The title uses Scots words meaning roughly “old long since,” or memories of times long past. Its lyrics ask whether old acquaintances and shared experiences should be forgotten, making it naturally suited to a farewell-and-renewal moment.

The tune and wording have changed in performance, and the song is now sung in many countries at midnight. It is not exclusively a New Year's song: it can also accompany farewells, memorials, graduations, and other transitions. The melody is often credited in general terms to tradition, while Burns is specifically associated with the best-known poetic version.