The song traditionally sung at midnight on New Year's Eve in Scotland and many other countries is “Auld Lang Syne.” Its title is Scots for “old long since,” meaning times long past or days gone by. The lyrics were written by Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1788, although Burns acknowledged that he drew on older Scottish words and traditional material.
The melody commonly used today became associated with the song through printed collections and later performances. Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians helped make it a major New Year's Eve standard in North America after their radio broadcasts began in the 1920s. Their annual midnight performance connected the song especially strongly with the holiday.
“Auld Lang Syne” is not exclusively a New Year's song. It is also used at farewells, graduations, memorials, and other transitions. The wording and tune can vary considerably between countries, but the central theme remains remembering old friendships and shared experiences.