steven

“Starry, starry night, paint your palette blue and grey…” Don McLean 的名曲之一，是民歌中的的杰作。这首歌是 Don McLean 在看完 Vincent van Gogh 的传记之后写的。这首歌的歌词隐含了不少有关 van Gogh 的作品和事迹。象其他的民歌一样，Vincent 的结构很简单，歌词却令人深思。当然，我们当年在camping 的时候，一边弹 guitar 一边唱这歌的时候，根本不会体会歌词里面的意思；只不过是在女孩子面前显摆一下罢了。二十多年的今天，虽然明白它想说些什么，但自问永远没法了解那一份歌词所描写的对艺术的执着和无人体会的沉郁。

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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. 
And 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 flo’rs 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. 
And now I understand what you tried to say to me 

how you suffered for your sanity 
how you tried to set them free. 
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 heads on nameless walls 
with eyes 
that watch the world and can’t forget. 
Like the stranger that you’ve met 

the ragged men in ragged clothes 

the silver thorn of bloddy rose 
lie crushed and broken 
on the virgin snow. 
And 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 
list’ning still 
perhaps they never will.