Vincent Van Gogh

No próximo dia 29 completam-se 122 anos após a morte de Vincent Van Gogh.

Como tributo ao famoso pintor pós-impressionista neerlandês, frequentemente considerado um dos maiores de todos os tempos, deixo-vos aqui uma canção, que talvez muitos não conheçam, que é uma homenagem de Don McLean ao grande Vincent Van Gogh.

Don McLean é um cantor e compositor norte-americano, nascido em 1945, que ficou famoso pela canção American Pie, e que escreveu Vincent em 1971 depois de ter ficado fascinado com a leitura de um livro sobre a vida de Vincent Van Gogh.

A canção Vincent tornou-se um grande êxito internacional, tendo em 1972 sido nº 1 no Reino Unido e nº 12 nos EUA.

Nos anos 70, o museu de Van Gogh em Amesterdão tocava esta música diariamente.

Nos últimos anos a canção tornou-se ainda mais conhecida ao ser cantada pelos participantes de grandes shows, como American Idol e BBC Fame Academy.

Apesar do vídeo ter a tradução em português, aqui fica a letra original de Vincent para aqueles que dominam o inglês poderem apreciar a sua beleza poética e a mensagem que Don pretende transmitir. 

 

VINCENT

(Don McLean)

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.

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 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.

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.

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 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.

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...