Robert Burns is credited with the words of “Auld Lang Syne,” the song often sung at New Year's Eve. Burns wrote down and adapted versions of an older Scottish song in 1788, preserving the Scots phrase meaning roughly “old long since” or “for old times' sake.”
The song asks whether old acquaintances and shared memories should be forgotten. Its reflective lyrics made it suitable for farewells and commemorations, while the melody helped it become a familiar communal song. It is now strongly associated with the final moments of December 31 in many English-speaking countries.
Burns did not necessarily invent every lyric or the entire melody. He collected traditional material and shaped it into the version widely known today. The song is also used at graduations, memorials, and other endings. Pronunciation and lyrics vary, and many singers know only the chorus, but the cultural association with midnight remains especially strong.