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#).
In Scottish, the title is (literally) "
old long since" or (figuratively) "
long long ago". It is often sung as and 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.