Vincent (Starry Starry Night)

               Vincent Van Gogh - Starry Night

               

      Beauty + Beauty = Beauty

Released in the 1971 album 'American Pie', 'Vincent' is a song written by Don McLean as a tribute to Vincent Van Gogh. The song is also known by its opening phrase, 'Starry Starry Night', as reference to Van Gogh's famous painting 'Starry Night'.

Vincent Van Gogh (1853 - 1890) was a Dutch painter. Van Gogh produced some 900 paintings in his life, notable for their beauty, emotions and colours. Despite his talent, Van Gogh remained poor and virtually unknown throughout his entire life. Rumour had it that he sold only one painting during his life as his work was largely unrecognised at that time. Perhaps it was this that caused him to fall into an abyse of depression in the later part of his life which eventually led to his gunshot suicide. Van Gogh died at the age of 37.

'Starry Night' was the painting produced by Van Gogh a year before his death when he was suffering heavily from his mental illness.

Don Mclean (born 1945) is an American singer and songwriter. Don wrote the song and lyrics of 'Vincent' in 1971 after reading the biography about the life of Vincent Van Gogh. Next year in 1972, the song became the No. 1 hit single in the U.K. 'Vincent' not only demonstrates Don's admiration for the work of Van Gogh, but also lingers on the facts that the painter's work was not appreciated and the artist killed himself to free from the suffering of his deteriorating mental health.

Don reached the climax of his career with the album 'American Pie' in 1971, and 'Vincent' is one of the hits in the album.

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.

Now please relax and enjoy Don Mclean's music and Vincent Van Gogh's paintings.