Don McLean - Vincent

Don McLean, a pop singer in 70's, has his best two famous songs, "The American Pie" and "Vincent". I love "Vincent" when I heard the famous taiwanese singer Chyi reproduce it in late 80's.

這是一首由７０年代美國著名歌手Don McLean作給十九世紀何蘭畫家梵高  Vincent van Gogh 的名曲。這裡有詳盡的解讀梵高的名畫和此曲歌詞的意境。

飄亮的齊豫在她80年代出的英語專輯裡重唱了此曲，讓人回味無窮。被誉为“天籁之音”的齊豫原來在著名的UCLA取得人類學碩士！

Don McLean 的原唱版本：

Starry 

starry night 
paint your palette blue and grey 

look out on a summer's day 
with eyes that know the 
darkness in my soul. 
Shadows on the hills 
sketch the trees and the daffodils 

catch the breeze and the winter chills 

in colors on the snowy linen land. 
And now I understand what you tried to say to me 

how you suffered for your sanity 
how you tried to set them free. 
They would not listen 
they did not know how 

perhaps they'll listen now. 

Starry 
starry night 
flaming flo'rs that brightly blaze 

swirling clouds in violet haze reflect in 
Vincent's eyes of China blue. 
Colors changing hue 
morning fields of amber grain 

weathered faces lined in pain 
are soothed beneath the artist's 
loving hand. 
And now I understand what you tried to say to me 

how you suffered for your sanity 
how you tried to set them free. 
perhaps they'll listen now. 

For they could not love you 
but still your love was true 

and when no hope was left in sight on that starry 
starry night. 
You took your life 
as lovers often do; 
But I could have told you 
Vincent 
this world was never 
meant for one 
as beautiful as you. 

Starry 
starry night 
portraits hung in empty halls 

frameless heads on nameless walls 
with eyes 
that watch the world and can't forget. 
Like the stranger that you've met 

the ragged men in ragged clothes 

the silver thorn of bloddy rose 
lie crushed and broken 
on the virgin snow. 
And now I think I know what you tried to say to me 

how you suffered for your sanity 

how you tried to set them free. 
They would not listen 
they're not 
list'ning still 
perhaps they never will. 

**

McLean wrote this song for Vincent Van Gogh, I think Starry Starry Night might be the title of one of the landscapes done by Van Gogh, not sure on that one. McLean manages to write the lyrics resonating Van Gogh's painting (impressionist) “paint your palette blue and grey.”, “Flaming flowers that brightly blaze Swirling clouds in violet haze”. 

McLean recognizes his humanitarian efforts "Like the strangers that you've met. The ragged men in ragged clothes." McLean empathises with him and the struggle that he had with his family, they rejected how he liked to help the poor "They would not listen They did not know how Perhaps they'll listen now." (They were a wealthy family.) 

Van Gogh actually had a mental disease, he actually cut off his ear before he died (suicide) "And how you suffered for your sanity", "you took your life as lovers often do." I think McLean also links Van Gogh's family's values to the values of today's world. Throughout the song at the end of the refrain there is the line "They would not listen 

They did not know how perhaps they'll listen now." until the last refrain when he sings "They would not listen. They're not listening still perhaps they never will." I think he looks at the state of the world regarding hunger and poverty in dismay. A most beautiful song, apparently one of Tupac Shakur's favourite songs.

**

This song is written about Vincent van Gogh. His life, his soul, everything was expressed through his art. Many artists choose to do what they do to express things when words cannot suffice. Van Gogh did not know how do express everything to other people in words, so he used his paints. 

Vincent was a very unique person--not many of his "nature" are found throughout history; the spirit that he possessed was one that was extremely beautiful. Not many people could see this; he could, and he knew that he was different. 
The other interpretation of this song posted is okay, but I feel like the author misses the point of what Mclean was saying, and who van Gogh was, for that matter. "Now I understand what you tried to say to me and how you suffered for your sanity, and how you tried to set them free" speaks of Vincent's reaching out to the world, and how he was misunderstood by his generation and by the people still today. He could see things with amazing clarity, but people today still don't understand. The world his blind--van Gogh knew it, and now Mclean is acknowledging that he, too, can see it. Notice, he even follows this with "perhaps they'll listen now" (though later he comes to the realization that society will never get it, when he ends the song with "perhaps they never will"). 
As for the phrases concerning love, compassion and emptiness, these are all about his persona. 

I have not the time to elaborate more fully. To discuss this further you can email me at krispys777@yahoo.com if you so wish.