What’s in a name with Vincent: A Song Review

I.

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. 

Chorus

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. 

II

Starry, starry night.

Flaming flowers that brightly blaze,

Swirling clouds in violet haze,

Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue.

Colors changing hue, morning field of amber grain,

Weathered faces lined in pain,

Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand. 

Chorus

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. 

III

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. 

IV

Starry, starry night.

Portraits hung in empty halls,

Frameless head on nameless walls,

With eyes that watch the world and can't forget.

Like the strangers that you've met,

The ragged men in the ragged clothes,

The silver thorn of bloody rose,

Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow. 

Chorus

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 listening still.

Perhaps they never will... 

The First stanza describes the art of Vincent. His approach on colors is more of dark, and full of sorrow. The words “palette blue and grey” looks dim, which is contrast on the next lines that says “look out on a summer’s day.” This is ironic on what he actually feels and what he paints.  Vincent paints more of nature.

The persona talking on the chorus can be Don Mclean, he somehow see himself on Vincent’s situation. People misunderstood Vincent because even if was sane, people thought he was out of his mind.

On the second stanza, it shows how Vincent would paint the lovely things he sees and then he will make it stunning. The lyric also says that “colors changing hue”, I think that as an artist it changed the life of Vincent.

I guess that this is the highlighted part on the song (the third stanza). Don Mclean expressed that people cannot accept Vincent who he was and what he become as an artist, despite of showing the real him. And when he had no hope at all he committed suicide. And Mclean had a comparison between Vincent and the side of the lovers, because we had observed that when a lover fails or suffer from frustrations he ends up his life. I think that Vincent is a lover of art, and when that time came that he can no longer accept that people treated him as a crazy man. It was an epic failure for him that triggers him to leave the world. The last stanza connotes that Vincent doesn’t deserve this cruel world for he is a very talented man that was unappreciated.

In an overall assessment, Vincent Van Gogh is a post-impressionist. When we say impressionism it is a form of art that is systematic and organized. Van Gogh together with his colleague wanted to make their own style of art. NapoleonBonaparte wanted the artist to paint inside the box which Van Gogh and his companion does not adhere to. Their works were not included every time there is a painting exhibit. They are referred as “rebels” because of their movement that aims not to have rules in art.

The song touches my heart because I can relate into Van Gogh’s situation wherein there are some things that that you worked hard for and put a big effort to but still people do not even take a notice of it. I think Don Mclean as a singer and composer relates to Vincent, in his situation. He as an artist also faces failure that comes along the way. With his composition, he tells the story of a man unappreciated and the words that were chosen fits on the story of Vincent. It gives a deep meaning in the heart of the audience. Starry, starry night refers to the painting of Vincent, the ibid and distinct colors that he used expressing how he really feels living as an artist. The painting seems uninteresting for the people who don’t give a little time understanding the artist point of view. On the other hand, for the artist it is a masterpiece created with passion and love. “They would not listen, they did not know how. Perhaps they never will.” These were the line that was repeated all over the song, but as you can notice “perhaps they listen now” is repeated twice which can imply that maybe these people will understand. The last stanza and the last words says “they never will” it emphasize that people won’t give attention on an artistic work for they think that is unusual to their likeness. This also denotes that maybe there wouldn’t come a time for the people to hear Vincent’s artistry because he now rest in peace.

In my perspective, we have different talents and gifts that we must treasure. We are blessed to have these things for we can share it to others. But on the other hand we must also understand that we cannot please everyone. Even if you do what is right, some people have a say to it. We must keep developing our talents despite of the defamatory that wants to put us down. I also think it is inappropriate to end up our life because we are just unaccepted by the public. The moment we are given another day to live is another hope to cherish and be thankful for.