Aude Lang Syne was written by
Robert Burns in 1788 as a Scots poem accompanied by a traditional folk song using a traditional
pentatonic (5 note) melody (e.g., black keys in the key of F#). [Windy]
In Scottish, the title is (literally) "
old long since" or (figuratively) "
long long ago". It is often sung as an ending to something.
It is a traditional song sung at the end of the year on New Year's Eve just as the new year is starting.