Auld Lang Syne, based on a poem by Robert Burns, is commonly sung at midnight on New Year's Eve.
Burns wrote down and adapted the poem in 1788, drawing on older Scottish verses and traditional song material. The title is Scots for “old long since,” or more naturally, “for old times' sake.” Its lyrics ask whether old acquaintances and shared memories should be forgotten.
The melody used today became established through printed musical versions in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The song spread well beyond Scotland through migration, publishing, recordings, and public celebrations.
Although it is strongly associated with New Year's Eve, Auld Lang Syne is also used at farewells, graduations, memorials, and other transitions. Burns did not create the entire tradition from nothing; he preserved and reshaped existing material, which is why the song has both literary and folk roots.