Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Starry, Starry Night

Remember when Don McLean was on the radio? Here is a touching video tribute to Vincent van Gogh set to the song, Vincent (Starry, Starry Night). Better have a tissue handy...





Lyrics:
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.
Don McLean blog comments @ this song.

5 comments:

Chris Bolmeier said...

Dear Casey,
Thank you for posting that video. That song usually makes me cry and with the images and lyrics it's more like a sobbing. What prolific poets....both Don McClean and Van Gogh. Very touching, makes a person think about their own life and mortality. Thanks for the tear jerker.
Chris

Casey Klahn said...

You and I have soft hearts for poor Vincent.

I am sure others are scratching their heads. I did read that the song has more fans in Europe, and that it played at the VG Museum in Amsterdam. OTOH, in the US we favor American Pie by DM.

daviddrawsandpaints said...

Just about my favourite song ever. In '71 I took my new wife to see Don McLean at the Greens Playhouse in Glasgow which was a vast auditorium now sadly gone (like most of my hair but not my teeth!). The only seats we could afford were in the 'Gods' and McLean was a speck in the far distance. But we could hear his beautiful music. Great show. And we also that year took a trip to Amsterdam on our second honeymoon to visit the Stedelijk Museum. I will never ever forget that moment turning the corner and being confronted by Vincent's Sunflowers. Blown away man(as we used to say)!
Other fave from the Pie album is: "Winterwood".

Miki Willa said...

Thank you. The power of the current technology to put artists of the past and current artists together is a constant gift that I am happy to enjoy. Looking forward to seeing you this weekend.

Lor Lor said...

Thank you Casey for this. Vincent is my all time favourite artist and like David I was blown away when I saw his paintings in real life in Amsterdam. I didn't want to leave the museum, my friends had to drag me out as it was being locked up.
I also like Don McClean I was a teenager when this song was released and I still love it.
Now where did I put those tissues.