在西洋老歌中經常會談到Buddy Holly等三位歌手於1959同搭機失事身亡的事件，後被稱之為「The Day the music died」，此說法係出自於美國歌手Don McLean 1971的歌曲《American Pie》，而此首《Vincent》亦為前曲同名專輯中的歌曲。
此曲為Don McLean於某日清晨坐在陽台讀荷蘭「後印象派畫家Vincent van Gogh ( 梵谷 )」 的傳記，忽然有感而發，認為Van Gogh其實並未真的發瘋 ( Van Gogh曾將自己的左耳割下，並包好送給一位妓女；後住過精神病院，最後以手槍自擊胸部，當場似乎並不嚴重，而次日卻急速惡化身亡。享年37歲。)，應該只是得了一般像是「躁鬱症」的病，且旁人均不瞭解他，覺得應該要替他「平反」。其實當時Don McLean的婚姻也發生了問題，身心俱受煎熬，又無法向人傾吐，心有戚戚焉之下寫成此曲，也是在向Van Gogh致敬。
Van Gogh割耳後的自畫像
歌詞第一句「Starry, starry night」，指的是Van Gogh 1889的油畫作品「Starry Night ( 星夜 )」，Don McLean當時即是看著書中的這幅畫作寫歌。Van Gogh創作此畫時為住在法國聖雷米的精神病院，院方只允他許白天出外作畫，畫作的內容確實是聖雷米當地的景觀，而夜空則是憑其記憶印像所畫。
Starry Night --- Van Goho 1889
此曲於1972另發行單曲，獲得英國單曲排行榜的冠軍，在美國告示牌當代成人榜則為亞軍，也是Don McLean知名的代表作品之一。
Starry, starry night
繁星點點的夜裡
Paint your palette blue and gray
畫出你調色盤裡的藍與灰
Look out on a summer's day
在夏日裡出外探訪
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul
用你那洞悉我靈魂幽暗處的雙眼
Shadows on the hills
山丘上的陰影
Sketch the trees and daffodils
描繪出樹林與水仙花
Catch the breeze and the winter chills
捕捉微風與冬天的冷冽
In colors on the snowy linen land
用那雪地裡亞麻般的色彩
Now I understand what you tried to say to me
如今我才明白，你想說的是什麼
How you suffered for your sanity
當你清醒時你有多麼痛苦
How you tried to set them free
你努力的想讓它們得到解脫
They would not listen, they did not know how
但人們卻不理會，也不知該怎麼做
Perhaps, they'll listen now
也許，人們將學會傾聽
Starry, starry night
繁星點點的夜裡
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze
火紅的花朵燦爛的燃燒著
Swirling clouds in violet haze
漩渦似的雲飄在紫羅蘭色的霧裡
Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue
映照在文生湛藍的眼瞳裡
Colors changing hue
色彩變化萬千
Morning fields of amber grain
清晨的田園裡琥珀色的農作物
Weathered faces lined in pain
佈滿風霜的臉上羅列著痛苦
Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand
在藝術家憐愛的手下得到撫慰
Now I understand what you tried to say to me
如今我才明白，你想說的是什麼
How you suffered for your sanity
當你清醒時你有多麼痛苦
And how you tried to set them free
你努力的想讓它們得到解脫
They would not listen, they did not know how
但人們卻不理會，也不知該怎麼做
Perhaps, they'll listen now
也許，現在人們將學會傾聽
For they could not love you
因為當初他們無法愛你
And still your love was true
但你的愛依然真切
And when no hope was left inside on that starry, starry night
當燦爛的星空裡不存一絲希望
You took your life as lovers often do
你像許多戀人一樣，結束了自己的生命
But I could have told you, Vincent
但願我能告訴你，文生
This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you
這個世界根本配不上一個美麗如你的人
Starry, starry night
繁星點點的夜裡
Portraits hung in empty hall
一幅幅的肖像懸掛在空盪盪的大廳裡
Frameless heads on nameless walls
無鑲框的臉倚靠在不知名的牆上
With eyes that watch the world and can't forget
配上一雙看遍世事且永不遺忘的雙眼
Like the strangers that you've met
就像你曾遇見的陌生人
The ragged man in ragged clothes
那些衣衫襤褸的人們
The silver thorn of bloody rose
也像血紅的玫瑰上銀色的刺
Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow
斷裂並靜臥在初下的雪上
Now I think I know what you tried to say to me
我想我已明白，你想說的是什麼
How you suffered for your sanity
當你清醒時你有多麼痛苦
Then how you tried to set them free
你努力的想讓它們得到解脫
They would not listen, they're not listening still
但人們卻不理會，現在依然如此
Perhaps, they never will...
也許，他們永遠不會……
【中英歌詞摘自「音樂庫」網站】
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