{"id":280,"date":"2015-05-09T10:56:51","date_gmt":"2015-05-09T10:56:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artcorner.com\/?p=280"},"modified":"2015-05-09T10:56:51","modified_gmt":"2015-05-09T10:56:51","slug":"don-mcleans-vincent-song-tells-the-story-of-van-gogh-better-than-one-thinks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.overstockart.com\/blog\/don-mcleans-vincent-song-tells-the-story-of-van-gogh-better-than-one-thinks\/","title":{"rendered":"Don McLean’s Vincent Song tells the Story of Van Gogh Better than One Thinks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Don McLean wrote the song Vincent (Starry, Starry Night<\/a>) many years after Van Gogh’s tragic death, but a closer look at the lyrics reveals how deep McLean’s words dive into Vincent Van Gogh’s life story. As if McLean was able to tap into the tormented soul of the artist in those horrifying moments.<\/p>\n

\"Starry<\/a>

Comparison between the lyrics of Don McLean\u2019s hit song Vincent and the actual life and works of Vincent Van Gogh.<\/p><\/div>\n

Here is a comparison between the lyrics of the song Vincent and Vincent Van Gogh’s Actual Life:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\nExpressing Van Gogh’s ability to sit and be immersed in nature as some of the other Impressionists of the time is somewhat misleading.“Look out on a summer’s day.”<\/b> Many of Van Gogh’s famous works were painted when he was in an asylum at Saint-Remy, so most of his work was done from memory. <\/td>\n\n Starry, starry night.
\nPaint your palette blue and grey,
\nLook out on a summer’s day,
\nWith eyes that know the darkness in my soul.
\nShadows on the hills,
\nSketch the trees and the daffodils,
\nCatch the breeze and the winter chills,
\nIn colors on the snowy linen land.<\/b>
\n<\/tr>\n
\nThese are references to some of the more famous Van Gogh paintings:
\nFlaming Flowers: The Sunflower Series<\/a>
\nSwirling Clouds: Starry Night<\/a>
\nField of Amber Grain: Wheat Field with Crows<\/a>
\nWeathered Faces: The Potato Eaters.<\/td>\n		\n Starry, starry night.
\nFlaming flowers that brightly blaze, Swirling clouds in violet haze,
\nReflect in Vincent’s eyes of china blue.
\nColors changing hue, morning field of amber grain,
\nWeathered faces lined in pain,
\nAre soothed beneath the artist’s loving hand.<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
This is Van Gogh’s tragic predicament. Even though he loved painting, his paintings could never love him back.<\/p>\n

Van Gogh attempted suicide by shooting himself in the chest, which ultimately led to his death two days later.<\/td>\n

\nFor they could not love you,
\nBut still your love was true.
\nAnd when no hope was left in sight
\nOn that starry, starry night,
\nYou took your life, as lovers often do.
\nBut I could have told you, Vincent,
\nThis world was never meant for one
\nAs beautiful as you.<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\nVan Gogh’s artistic legacy is contained within his paintings, drawings and writings. They are everlasting and will never “forget” the style that created them. They are Van Gogh’s eyes that watch the world. This is all metaphorically speaking though. <\/td>\n\nStarry, starry night.
\nPortraits hung in empty halls,
\nFrameless head on nameless walls,
\nWith eyes that watch the world and can’t forget.
\nLike the strangers that you’ve met,
\nThe ragged men in the ragged clothes,
\nThe silver thorn of bloody rose,
\nLie crushed and broken on the virgin snow.<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Finally, McLean talks about Van Gogh’s ultimate suffering: his struggle with his mental state of delusion and insanity. <\/td>\n\nNow I think I know what you tried to say to me,
\n How you suffered for your sanity,
\n How you tried to set them free.
\n They would not listen, they’re not listening still.
\n Perhaps they never will…<\/b> <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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