Robert Burns wrote the words to “Auld Lang Syne,” the song often sung at midnight on New Year's Eve.
Burns, Scotland's national poet, sent a version of the poem to the Scots Musical Museum in 1788. The title uses Scots words meaning roughly “old long since,” or memories of times long past. Burns said that the song was based partly on older traditional material rather than being entirely his own invention.
The familiar melody became internationally associated with farewell and New Year celebrations, especially through Scottish diaspora communities. Different countries use the song at graduations, memorials, and other endings, so it is not exclusively a New Year's song. Several verses exist, but public celebrations usually use the opening verse and chorus. The English spelling and pronunciation vary, while the Scots title remains the standard name.