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Vincent

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A 1971 Don McLean acoustic ballad about the painter Vincent van Gogh, often referred to by the opening line "Starry, Starry Night."

Composition

Vincent was written by Don McLean as a tribute to the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh, drawing on themes from van Gogh’s 1889 painting “The Starry Night.” McLean has said he began composing the song while reading a biography of the artist.

Reception

Released as the follow-up single to “American Pie” in 1972, Vincent reached the top fifteen on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the UK Singles Chart. It became McLean’s second top-ten hit on both sides of the Atlantic.

Legacy

The song is widely played at art exhibitions and van Gogh-themed events, and a copy is on permanent loan to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. The Library of Congress added the song to its 2024 National Recording Registry inclusion list.

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Vincent starts with V and ends with T. Browse other songs along the same letter.

Songs that contain a letter from "Vincent":