"Vincent" is a song by Don McLean written as a tribute to Vincent Van Gogh. It is also known by its opening line, "Starry Starry Night", a reference to Van Gogh's painting Starry Night. The song describes a different painting by Van Gogh in each of its stanzas. For other uses, see Song (disambiguation). ... For other people with similar names see Don MacLean. ... American Pie is the title of a 1971 music album by Don McLean, best known for its title track. ... In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... BGO Records (Beat Goes On) is a record label specializing in classic rock, blues, jazz and folk music. ... American Pie is the title of a 1971 music album by Don McLean, best known for its title track. ... For other people with similar names see Don MacLean. ... “van Gogh” redirects here. ... Categories: Art stubs | Paintings | Vincent van Gogh ...

Don McLean wrote the lyrics in 1971 after reading a book about the life of the artist. The following year, the song became the #1 hit in the UK and #12 in the USA. For several years, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam played the song daily. A copy of the sheet music is in a safe beneath the museum, along with a set of Van Gogh's paint brushes, the hat he wore while painting Starry Night, and various other items. For other people with similar names see Don MacLean. ... Year 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. ... The Van Gogh Museum is a museum in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, featuring the works of the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh and his contemporaries. ... Sheet music is written representation of music. ... A typical home safe. ... Categories: Art stubs | Paintings | Vincent van Gogh ...

In 2000, PBS aired Don McLean: Starry, Starry Night, a concert special that was filmed in Austin. Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... Not to be confused with Public Broadcasting Services in Malta. ... Austin is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas, the seat of Travis County. ...

The song

The song clearly demonstrates a deep-seated admiration for not only the work of van Gogh, but also for the man himself. The song includes references to his landscape works, in lines such as "sketch the trees and the daffodils" and "morning fields of amber grain" - which describe the amber wheat that features in several paintings. There are also several lines that may allude to van Gogh's self portraits: perhaps in "weathered faces lined in pain / are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand", McLean is suggesting that van Gogh may have found some sort of consolation in creating portraits of himself. There is, too, a single line describing van Gogh's most famous set of works, Sunflowers. "Flaming flowers that brightly blaze" draws not only on the luminous orange and yellow colours of the painting, but also creates powerful images of the sun itself, flaming and blazing, being contained within the flowers and the painting.

As far as the song goes as a tribute to van Gogh as the man himself, the song reflects on the lack of recognition that van Gogh received. In each chorus, McLean says "They would not listen / they did not know how / perhaps they'll listen now," except in the final verse, McLean says "They would not listen / They're not listening still / Perhaps they never will". This is the story of van Gogh: unrecognised as an artist until after his death. The lyrics suggest that van Gogh was trying to "set [people] free" with the message in his work. McLean feels that this message was made clear to him: "And now I understand what you tried to say to me", he sings. Perhaps it is this eventual understanding that inspired McLean to write the song.

There are also references to van Gogh's sanity and his suicide. Throughout his life, van Gogh was plagued with mental disorders, particularly depression. He "suffered for his sanity" and eventually "took his life, as lovers often do". The word "lover" puts into context how McLean saw the relationship of van Gogh with his art - a relationship of love. This love was strong enough for van Gogh to persevere with his art even without acceptance from his contemporaries: "For they could not love you, but still your love was true".

Legacy

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"Vincent" has been featured on the soundtracks of several TV shows, including Heart of Greed, Nip/Tuck, and The Simpsons. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Heart of Greed (Chinese: 溏心風暴) is a high-rating 40-episode drama series which aired from April 9 to June 1, 2007 in Hong Kong by Television Broadcasts Limited. ... Nip/Tuck is an Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning American television medical drama series created by Ryan Murphy for FX Networks. ... Simpsons redirects here. ...

The song was a favorite of the rapper and activist Tupac Amaru Shakur, who was born the year it was written. He wrote a poem dedicated to Vincent Van Gogh, to whom he felt a deep connection. For other people named Tupac, see Tupac (disambiguation). ...

The Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam played the song (Vincent) daily in 70's and a copy of the sheet music, together with a set of Van Gogh's paint brushes, is buried in a time capsule beneath the museum. http://www.thedonmcleanstory.com/articles/vincent.asp

Cover versions

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• The artist Chloë Agnew, a member of the Celtic Woman musical group, released a version of this song on her CD Walking In The Air.
• Tori Amos covered this song live on various dates during her 2002-2003 and 2005 tours.
• Julie Andrews sings the song in an episode of The Julie Andrews Hour.
• This song is covered by Declan Galbraith in his 2006 album Thank You.
• This song was covered by Josh Groban in 2002 on his debut album.
• Brian Kennedy sang the song at George Best's funeral.
• The punk band NOFX released a version of this song on a rarities and b-sides double album.
• Jane Olivor covered the song on her 1977 album First Night.
• This song was covered by Alan Smith, introduced as "Ya Greetin Faced Sh*te", in 2002, in Glastonbury.^{[citation needed]}
• The band Spot 1019 released a version of this song on their 2002 CD In Her Satanic Majesty's Secret Service Entrance.
• Chyi Yu covered the song on her 1988 album Whoever Finds This, I Love You.
• Chet Atkins covered this song in a fingerstyle guitar arrangement.
• Rick Astley covered this song on his 2005 album Portrait.
• Julio Iglesias covered this song in his album My Life: The Greatest Hits (disc 1).

Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... Chloë Elisabeth Aislinn Moira Agnew (born June 9, 1989 in Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish singer who has gained fame for her part in the Celtic music group Celtic Woman. ... Celtic Woman is a musical ensemble comprised of five Irish and one New Zealand female artists: vocalists Chloë Agnew, Órla Fallon, Lisa Kelly, Méav Ní Mhaolchatha and Hayley Westenra, and violinist Máiréad Nesbitt. ... Tori Amos (born Myra Ellen Amos on August 22, 1963) is an American pianist and singer-songwriter. ... Dame Julie Elizabeth Andrews, DBE (born Julia Elizabeth Wells[1] on 1 October 1935[2]) is an award-winning English actress, singer, author and cultural icon. ... The Julie Andrews Hour was a television variety series made by ATV and distributed by ITC Entertainment. ... Declan Galbraith (born December 19, 1991, in Hoo St Werburgh, Kent) is an English singer of Scottish and Irish origin. ... Thank You is an album by singer Declan Galbraith, released on December 1, 2006 in Germany. ... Joshua Winslow Groban (born February 27, 1981) is a Grammy-nominated American singer/songwriter known for his mature and lyrical baritone voice. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Brian Edward Patrick Kennedy (born 12 October 1966) is an Irish singer-songwriter and author. ... George Best (22 May 1946 – 25 November 2005) was a Northern Irish football player best known for his years with Manchester United. ... NOFX is an American punk rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1983. ... 45 or 46 Songs That Werent Good Enough to Go on Our Other Records is a double album released in 2002 by NOFX. The band built up an impressive list of songs that did not make it onto any of their albums, or had previously appeared on compilation albums... // Jane Olivor, an American cabaret singer born May 18, 1947, pursued a career that caused her to be compared favorably to such music-world public figures as Barbra Streisand and to the chanteuse Édith Piaf during the 1970s. ... Glastonbury is a small town in Somerset, England, situated at a dry spot on the Somerset Levels, 50km (31 miles) south of Bristol. ... Spot 1019 is a little rock combo hailing from San Francisco, California. ... Chyi Yu (Chinese: 齊豫; Pinyin: Qí Yù), born October 17, 1958, is a Taiwanese singer. ... Chet Atkins Chester Burton Chet Atkins (June 20, 1924 – June 30, 2001) was an influential guitarist and record producer. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This page is about the singer Julio Iglesias. ...

External links

• Song lyrics