Vincent by Don Mclean - Essay Example

He was residing in Massachusetts in an attractive federal designed residence. This house was referred to as the Sedgwick house. The Sedgwick household included an interesting individual whom Andy Warhol had worked with in the 60s, Edie Sedgwick. McLean composed the song in his dwelling that was filled with antiques. The motivation occurred to him one sunrise while he was on the veranda going through a work on Gogh. McLean discovered that a song about the artist could be composed out of Starry Night, the painting.

The song makes use of the strings, guitar, vibraphone, and accordion (Whitburn 166). This paper will analyze the song, Vincent, by Don McLean, focusing on the lyrics, symbol, context, writing technique and how the music blends with the meaning of the song. The composer’s lyrics highlight his life situations. The lyrics of the song highlight how the writer comprehends what the difficulties of an artist are like. He asserts that the society does not know the reasons that make artists write or paint.

McLean has experienced this situation himself. The writer of the song has come across the paintings of Vincent and has comprehended what Vincent was attempting to illustrate. The writer is attempting to communicate to the listeners that no individual would pay attention to what Vincent was attempting to say, and that individuals did not appreciate the correct meaning of the paintings because they perceived him as peculiar. The composer’s foremost point is that the society should become tolerant.

The reiteration of the words, ‘starry starry night’, highlights the significance of the heavens. Vincent enjoyed night time and he had the ability to paint the skies with numerous stars. In the last chorus, Mclean asserts, “They would not listen, they are not listening still, perhaps they never will.” This shows how Van Gogh was not appreciated as a painter until he died (Whitburn 166). There is the use of symbol in McLean’s song. The opening phrase, Starry Starry Night, is an indication of the painting, The Starry Night, by Van Gogh.

The painting of Van Gogh and the song of Don McLean signifies what it feels like when an individual is not understood. The lines, “Paint your palette blue and gray” highlight the outstanding colors of Van Gogh’s painting, and they most likely are a testimonial to Van Gogh’s behavior of biting or sucking on his paint brushes during painting. The phrases, “ragged men in ragged clothes” and “how you tried to set them free” illustrates Van Gogh’s liking for the socially banished and humanitarian events.

This is also highlighted in Van Gogh’s drawings and paintings. In addition, the lyrics, “They would not listen, they did not know how” signifies the family and a number of people who were significant of Van Gogh’s compassion to those presumed to be miserable (Whitburn 166). Finally, the line, “How you suffered for your sanity” symbolizes the schizophrenic condition which Van Gogh experienced. There are a number of situations that help in composing the song. McLean composed the song in his dwelling filled with antiques.

The motivation occurred to him one sunrise while he was on the veranda going through a work on Van Gogh. McLean discovered that a song about the artist could be composed out of Starry Night, the painting. In addition, Van Gogh worked on his painting when he was experiencing one of his most trying times of his existence (Whitburn 166). During this time, he was put in prison in an asylum at Saint Remy. Van Gogh