The Scottish song commonly sung at midnight during worldwide New Year's Eve celebrations is “Auld Lang Syne.”
The phrase means “old long since,” or more naturally, “for old times' sake.” The song's familiar words are associated with the Scottish poet Robert Burns, who sent a version of the lyrics to a Scottish musical antiquarian in 1788.
The tune and words existed in related forms before and after Burns's contribution, so the song developed through a mixture of folk tradition and literary editing. Its themes of friendship, remembrance, and shared history made it especially suitable for marking a transition between years.
English-speaking communities popularized the song internationally, and many countries now use it at midnight even when the lyrics are not fully understood. It is not Scotland's official national anthem, a common mix-up caused by its strong Scottish identity.