starry starry night
Vincent van Gogh – Bio
Vincent van Gogh
Born March 30, 1853 – Died July 29, 1890
Dutch Post-Impressionist Painter
Vincent van Gogh – Note
Don McLean wrote the lyrics in 1971 after reading a book about the life of the Vincent van Gogh.
“Vincent” describes different paintings done by the artist, and clearly demonstrates a deep-seated admiration for not only the work of van Gogh, but also for the man himself.
It is also known by its opening line, “Starry Starry Night”, a reference to van Gogh’s painting “The Starry Night.”
There are also references to van Gogh’s sanity and his suicide.
Vincent van Gogh – “Vincent”
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 following year, the song became the number one hit in the U.K. and No. 12 in the U.S.
