Which song, traditionally sung at midnight, was written from a poem by Robert Burns?

“Auld Lang Syne,” traditionally sung at midnight on New Year’s Eve, was written from a poem by Robert Burns.

Burns wrote down and adapted Scots verses in 1788, drawing on older traditional material. The title means “old long since” or, more naturally, “for old times’ sake.” Its lyrics ask whether old friendships and memories should be forgotten, then turn to a toast and a linked-circle image of fellowship.

The melody now commonly used with the words was paired with the song later, and versions of the tune circulated before the modern arrangement became standard. This is why the song’s history involves both Burns’s text and earlier musical tradition rather than a single moment of composition.

Although strongly associated with Scotland, “Auld Lang Syne” became an international New Year song through migration, print, recordings, radio, and public celebrations. It is also used at farewells, graduations, memorial occasions, and other endings, so it is not exclusively a New Year anthem.