Vincent

Vincent adalah single yang ditulis dan dinyanyikan pertama kali oleh Don McLean, sebagai tribut buat maestro lukis Vincent Van Gogh. Lagu ini juga memiliki judul alternatif “Starry Starry Night” yang juga merupakan awal lirik lagunya, dan merujuk pada salah satu lukisan Van Gogh yang berjudul The Starry Night.

Lagu ini ditulis pada tahun 1971, setelah Don McLean terpukau membaca kisah kehidupan sang pelukis post-impressionism.  Dalam liriknya, secara jelas dilukiskan secara puitis kekaguman sang pemusik, tidak saja pada karya-karya Van Gogh, tapi juga pada sang pelukisnya sendiri. Beberapa lirik merujuk pada karya-karya lanskap sang pelukis, misalnya pada lirik “sketch the trees and the daffodils”, juga “morning fieldsof amber grain”. Juga beberapa penggalan yang merujuk pada lukisan potret diri Van Gogh, yaitu “weathered faces lined in pain, are soothed beneath the artist’s loving hand.”

McLean juga menggambarkan betapa karya-karya Van Gogh pada awalnya gagal diapresiasi oleh masyarakat. Dan barulah setelah sang maestro meninggal, orang-orang mulai menghargai karyanya.

“They would not listen, they did not know how, perhaps they’ll listen now…”

Sekarang lukisan Van Gogh bernilai puluhan hingga ratusan juta dolar.

Kita baru menyadari sesuatu itu berharga setelah tiada.

Starry, starry night

Paint your palette blue and gray

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

Now I understand what you tried to say to me

And how you suffered for your sanity

And 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 flowers 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

Now I understand what you tried to say to me

And how you suffered for your sanity

And how you tried to set them free

They would not listen, they did not know how

Perhaps they'll listen now

For they could not love you

But still your love was true

And when no hope was left inside

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 strangers that you've met

The ragged men in ragged clothes

A silver thorn, a bloody rose

Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow

Now I think I know what you tried to say to me

And how you suffered for your sanity

And how you tried to set them free

They would not listen, they're not listening still

Perhaps they never will

Baca juga: Mata Hari | Topeng | The Year of Living Dangerously | Saodah