You guys said we had to hit this one next so we’re here for it!! Loved American Pie and this was phenomenal as well! Cheers all what’s next?! 🙌🏻🔥

I'm a 62-year-old man, and this song makes me cry. Every time.

This is one of the saddest, most beautiful songs ever written, about one of the saddest, most beautiful human souls who ever breathed. Vincent Van Gogh sold one painting during his lifetime. He never married. He was supported financially by his younger brother Theo for years until his death by suicide at age 37. His "Portrait of Dr. Gachet" sold for $82.5 million in 1990 ($161.4 million in 2021 dollars). Nine of the most expensive paintings ever sold are Van Goghs. Only Picasso has more (15). Vincent is the quintessential misunderstood artist. Lonely, painfully sensitive and almost superhumanly perceptive about life and the world around him, he was nevertheless considered eccentric, repulsive and disagreeable by acquaintances and other artists. He struggled socially and eventually succumbed to mental illness and depression. His paintings and drawings were unappreciated by the European art establishment during his lifetime, yet are now universally regarded as among the most influential works of art ever created.

This one makes me tear up every single time. "This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you." You can't just be ok after hearing a line like that!!

It is such a heartbreakingly GENTLE song. You can feel McLean’s empathy. It breaks me. Every time.😢

Guys, two artists you need to check out: Jim Croce and Cat Stevens. Jim Croce who spent a fat half of the sixties trying to make it professionally as a singer songwriter while still holding a job so to feed his family, finally does make it in the seventies to heights unimaginable in the span of three years and three albums. All of a sudden we hear on the radio he's dead. Died in a plane crash whilst touring. Stevens who became a minor pop star in 1967 London, had a near death experience in 1969 and began writing incredibly deep lyrics and recording these series of excellent albums that made him world renown. Then, gives up show business for religion and disappears; resurfacing at the turn of the millennium. Both very interesting singer/songwriters that should be checked out at the Freedom Shack.

This song I actually like a little more than American Pie, in my opinion it's one of the most beautiful songs ever written. Mr. Van Gogh's work was never appreciated in his own time, and I'm just thankful we can still appreciate it now. Thanks for doing this song guys:)

My mum made a recording of my brother and I singing this as toddlers .. 40 years later we played it at her funeral.

Vincent is a painting in song, beautifully chosen words wrapped around delicate notes. This still gives me the chills.

Boys I keep telling you, we were blessed with insane talent in the 70’s. Voices, harmonies, instrumentals, poetry writing. We were truly blessed. So much greatness out there.

The song Killing Me Softly, most famously sung by Roberta Flack was written about Don McLean. His songs have touched people to the extent others have written masterpieces about him and his masterpieces!

If a song could ever make time stand still, this would be one of them.

I saw him in a college gym in 1974. It was him, a stool and chair, guitar and pitcher of water. He kept the crowd mesmerized for an hour and a half. I have probably forgotten half the things I have done in my life, but I remember that. After hearing this song, you can understand that. He combines brilliant simple and unique lyrics with minimal simple chords and finger picking. He didn’t need anything else.

Sometimes you find art, sometimes it finds you.

"Art is to console those who are broken by life.” ... A famous Quote of Vincent Van Gogh

I'm pretty sure Van Gogh saw the energy around us in ways we just can't understand. He wasn't crazy, just operated at a different frequency and let us see it through his paintings. And McLean gets us lyrically as close to understanding what Van Gogh saw as we can get. Simply one of the prettiest songs ever written.

"a silver thorn of a bloody rose, lay crushed and broken on the virgin snow", that line just gets me every time.

One of the most beautifully written and performed songs I’ve ever heard as one artist paints a masterpiece of another artist with the brushstrokes of his words.

I can NEVER, EVER hear this and not get seriously emotional. The more you listen, the deeper you respond.

I remember when this came out, I was just a kid-but even then it made me cry. No matter where I am or what I’m doing, I always stop whatever it is and listen, and hear those beautiful words. It always makes me feel like that little kid, hearing beauty for the first time. And I still cry.

I believe that Don McLean said that he read a biography of Vincent Van Gogh. He said after reading the book he decided to write a song about him. He said that it one of the easiest songs that he has ever written. The words and melody just flowed. He said that he had the whole song written in less than an hour.

I never listen to this song with out tearing up. It was one of Tupac's favorite songs. His girlfriend played it for him as he lay dying in the hospital.

nailed the meaning. The guy was a mess and considered poorly back in his day. As an artist myself the song just rips me up. Glad you guys covered it, clearly not a rocker ripper but pure artistry and definitely worth shining a light on 🙌🏻

Yep I cry every time I hear this one!! McLean is an S tier lyricist!! What a poet and he evokes so much emotion from his listeners!! Great song and great response to it!! Now I’ll wipe the tears from my eyes and get back to work!

I cry every time I hear this song. It hits me so hard even when I try to prepare myself for my inevitable reaction. Beautiful.

Such a beautiful song. I always tear up when I hear it.

Another similar 70s song that is incredibly beautiful but sad is "At seventeen" by Janis Ian. Check it out.

Hauntingly beautiful...

If you ever get a chance to see Van Gogh paintings in person, I highly recommend it.

I visited the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, and when you view his painting in chronological order you can see how he became more and more agitated through his brush strokes.

Every time I hear " 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" . I tear up...

Wow. You two just made my day! "Vincent" is my favourite Don McLean song. It's so beautifully written. Van Gogh is my favourite impressionist artist. Thank you again. You never cease to amaze me with your musical interests. Peace. Take care!

I was wiping away my tears, when Alex says: "Gonna make me cry in the freedom shack" Synchronicity.

Holy cow guys you're getting deep This is fantastic

Van Gogh sold one painting while he was alive. Now people wear his art. I have many pieces of clothing, calendars, etc. I've often wondered what he would think of that concept.

"They were not listening they're not listening still... Perhaps they never will" the agonized lot of so many great artists of their time, I suspect.

The highlight of my tour of Arles, France, was seeing the building (and garden) that had been the insane asylum where he had been committed. Then visiting the Museum that honors his work a few blocks away. A very stark contrast.

Lyrically this is one of the most beautiful songs ever written, you can see his paintings through McLean's words. VanGough was totally crazy and locked in a facility for many years. He painted what he could see from his windows or what he saw in his room. Thank you for reacting to this song. Vocally this is perfection.

You two are very emotionally mature and I love how you interpreted this song. You're beautiful souls.

One of the most emotional and gorgeous songs ever written. It never fails to make me cry. ❤❤

This song always brings tears to my eyes. It's poetry, and so beautiful. How heartbreaking to think how tortured the man was. He got no recognition for his talents here on earth until he was gone.

Don McLean has written many many Incredible songs! The well runs deep for anybody that takes the time to find them and listen. He is brilliant. 🎼🎶🎵🇨🇦

One of the most beautiful songs ever. Don is so talented. He can play this song alone with his guitar and it’s amazing. Thanks for your great reaction.awesome!!

Love this one from 1971 ♥️🎤🎸 Don McLean is a great songwriter & storyteller ♥️ He pulls you in & you feel it ♥️

Finally!! This song always brings a tear to my eye. The artistry, his writing and guitar work is so perfectly balanced in this song. There is a video on KZfaq with Van Gohe's paintings and it really brigns it to life.

Go ahead and cry. We all did when we first heard it. Y’all felt this.

For storytelling, try Jim Croce or Harry Chapin, two artists who both died too soon. The amazing thing about their deaths was it was NOT due to drugs, just from life. Janis Ian is a female artist who occupies the same space with her classic, Seventeen.

This is definitely a slower beautiful song but definitely S tier.

You would think writing a song about a visual medium like painting would be impossible, but he seems to do it effortlessly. Books have been written, trying to convey what he does in just a few minutes.

There are videos online that play the song and show Vincent's paintings along side that inspired each line. The lyrics are specific in reference to his work. It's even more brilliant than you know.

Simply beautiful song, I’ve loved this since it came out when I was 14❤️

I always loved this song.Vincent Van Gogh is one of my favorite artists and I think he captured the essence of Van Gogh perfectly.

I haven’t listened to this song for a long time. That made me tear up. Loved your reactions❤️

Along similar lines, check out Jim Croce, one of the great singer-songwriters of the ’70s, who died tragically at 30. Heartbreaking love songs like “Operator,” “I’ll Have to Say I Love You in a Song,” and “Time in a Bottle,” plus upbeat (and often hilarious) character songs like “You Don’t Mess Around with Jim,” “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,” and “Roller Derby Queen.”

Listened on my way to work. I’d forgotten what an excellent sing along in the car song. Haven’t heard it in a while, but every word and note inflection still etched in my heart. Thanks, gents. You are full of unexpected gifts, aren’t you?

One of the most poignant tributes on record, though kind of out of the blue. A beautiful song for sure.

Guys, I am so excited that you did this one. Back when you did American Pie I suggested this one to you. I knew you would appreciate it. As I had mentioned I studied him in college and his story was very interesting and heart breaking. Even though back in his time psychology was a very new concept, later due to his writings of the things he would go through on a regular basis, it was determined he was suffering from a form of epilepsy, accompanied by acute insanity and hallucinations. Ok my nerd flag is going to fly. Dr Who did an episode about Van Gogh called "Vincent And The Doctor. You should check it out. It showed some of the problems he lived with and with a wonderful ending the Doctor took him to a current day museum and showed him all his work being displayed and he was able to find out what people thought of it. Not going to lie that episode made me cry. As always guys fantastic review. Thank you, thank you for bringing this to everyone.

I can't believe I'd never heard this song before today. Thank you for bringing it to me, gentlemen. You've earned your orange slices.

So happy you gents reacted to this beauty... Thanks!

Don McLean is a great poet who happens to also to write wonderful melodies to his songs. I think "Empy Chairs" is his most beautiful and poignant song.

What a great song! I am so glad that you are checking out the great singer-songwriters of the 60s and 70s. I recommend James Taylor's 'Fire and Rain' and Carole King's musical response, 'You've Got a Friend', which Taylor later recorded himself.

Reminds me of being 4-5.. watching my mom in the garden early 1970s peaceful 🌸🌸🌸🎼 it's just absolutely lyrically beautiful and soft!

Great song my favorite Don song.

CAT STEVENS is the next singer-songwriter you need to check out. Start with "Father and Son".

Yes, I was wiping the mascara off my face, Alex! Van Gogh deserved to have his story so beautifully told. I'm glad you guys gave it a listen.

Rubato, (from Italian rubare, “to rob”), in music, subtle rhythmic manipulation and nuance in performance.

This may be the best reaction I've seen from you guys. Appreciating how a folky track like this can carry power and be dynamic without drums or electric guitars warms my heart. You should check out Suzanne Vega. She does have full instrumentation on most of her tracks but it's pretty understated. More than any artist I can think of, though, she uses words not just for their meaning but for their sound, sometimes soft, sometimes percussive. Luka is by far her most well known but Marlene On The Wall shows what I'm talking about.

I purchased a canvas print of his Starry Night painting. It is so beautiful and it gives me a special feeling having it on my wall and being able to look at it every day. Vincent van Gogh painted Starry Night in 1889 during his stay at the asylum of Saint-Paul-de-Mausole near Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. Van Gogh lived well in the hospital and was allowed more freedoms than any of the other patients. If attended, he could leave the hospital grounds and was allowed to paint, read, and withdraw into his own room. He was even given a studio. While he suffered from the occasional relapse into paranoia and fits - officially he had been diagnosed with epileptic fits - it seemed his mental health was recovering. Unfortunately, he relapsed and began to suffer hallucinations and have thoughts of suicide as he plunged into depression. There was a shift in his work. He returned to incorporating the darker colors from the beginning of his career and Starry Night is an example of that. He felt like his life was falling apart and was also exhausted from working hard and the high standards he set for himself. He was uncertain about the future and felt that he had failed, as a man and as an artist even though he was starting to get recognition for his work. On 27 July 1890, in a field near Auvers, Vincent shot himself in the chest with a revolver. He died two days later, with his brother Theo at his bedside.

If you want to see van Gogh paintings you have to come to Amsterdam. The van Gogh museum is amazing. And yes he cut of his own ear and took his own life. He tried to shoot himself through the heart but, not knowing exactly the position of the heart, he missed. Eventually he died two days later on 29th July 1890 at the age of 37.

Every line in the lyrics go with Vincent's paintings. You need to watch the video that shows his paintings along with the song.

Pure musical poetry...

Back in the ‘70’s I parked my VW Bus in downtown Amsterdam, my feet barely touched the pavement before a guy approached me and asked if I needed some ‘hash’. When I replied in the negative, he further enquired without missing a beat, “Heroin?” Window-shopped the red-light district (honest) and followed the music from one jazz-club/bar to the next. The next day I spent at a gallery/museum dedicated to VvG - that’s when my mind got blown. Great song and well-described. Thanks.

One of the prettiest songs ever written. Thank you!

1. Glad to see you do this!! 2. If you want to look into Van Gogh's soul, look at his painting "Wheatfield with Crows" 3. "Sister Golden Hair" by America! 4. "Operator" by Jim Croce!

You two need to go to Amsterdam. The Van Gogh Museum would blow your minds and the text between the paintings will fill your in on the story. Short of that, you could see the Van Gogh biographical film staring Willem Dafoe.

This has been on my Liked List for years. One of the most beautifully sung live ever. I LOVE the art of VG.

Yes,I'm 65 and this song has always held a special place in my heart.makes me tear up everytime.

Van Gogh created all Of his art (about 900 paintings) in a span of about 10 years, which oddly reminds me of the Beatles and their catalog... how is it possible that 2 of the most Impactful catalogs in our history were created in such a short period of time... great choice and great reaction!!

I got to see him in concert in the mid-80s. After doing a number of songs, he paused and said "This next song is why I don't have to work unless I want to". He then started American pie.

Vincent Van Gogh was a CHARACTER. He painted peasants and the working class a fair amount, lived in France with Paul Gaugin for a while (very love/hate relationship, that), and battled his inner demons at a time when the only answer society had was 'an asylum, I guess.' Unsurprisingly he did spend a fair amount of time committed. (Gaugin had more in-lifetime acclaim, and eventually moved to Tahiti because... he could, I guess?) There are actually two "Starry Night"s. The earlier one includes a river, and I like it a lot more. The more famous one was one of his last paintings. We have his sister-in-law to thank for his legacy. Theo died not long after Vincent himself, and she was left with all these paintings and no idea what to do with them, so she decided to try building the legacy they deserved. There was a Van Gogh-Gaugin exhibit in Chicago when I was in high school that my parents and I went to (only thing that will ever get my mom to go to Chicago in December: a chance to see "Starry Night" and all the rest of it in person). Years later, come to find out my wife - who was in college near Chicago at the time, years before we met - also went to that exhibit, probably the same weekend. This has been a history lesson from your resident Art Kid; Van Gogh is one of my mom's favorites.

I’m a 70 year old grandma and I love you boys and your appreciation for music I love

So glad you've listened to this song. In my opinion, it's one of the most emotional songs I've ever heard. The haunting melody along with the artistry of the lyrics, reflects Von Gogh's paintings. He was a tormented soul who expressed himself through his paintings and I feel that this song incapsulates this perfectly.

To see all of Vincent Van Gogh's paintings in one place, watch the Kirk Douglas movie Lust For Life, where Douglas plays Van Gogh and Anthony Quinn plays Paul Gaugan.

Perfect song review for my morning tea! Thanks... :)

Beautiful song. Next step, if you want another pretty, acoustic heartbreaker, Empty Chairs is a great one. For something more uptempo, Everybody Loves Me, Baby.

Deep--Lyrics🌼🏵️🌸🥀---I just want to build a Time capsule and go back to the early 70s when I hear this.

Anybody else cutting onions in here? cuz my eyes are wet with tears😢 these lyrics get me every time.

Another Great Tune By Don I Am Just Happy To Be Growing Up In The Music World In The 1970's We Had So Much Diverse Music In Them Days 3 / 26 / 21

Vincent’s story is very compelling. Beautiful paintings. In person, breathtaking. The movie Loving Vincent was incredible.

Just fabulous.

The Van Gough museum in Amsterdam opens every day by playing this song.

The song makes use mainly of the guitar but also includes the accordion, marimba, and strings. The song was a particular favorite of the rapper and actor Tupac Shakur, and was played to him in the hospital just before he died.

Cat Stevens - Wild World - Peace Train - Father & Son

I'm not crying, YOU"RE crying.

I named my son after this song. And “this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you” still holds true. So many challenges he’s faced. I’ve almost lost him more than once. Sobbing as always. He suffers for his sanity. And Vincent, I have always listened.

Always loved this song. Very beautiful song. Happy Birthday Vincent van Gogh.

There was a Dr Who episode where they went and met Van Gogh, then took him 2010 and took him to an art museum in London, and made him listen to a curator talk about him...so he knew what people would think of him in the future - worth a watch kzfaq.info/get/bejne/q8iEfayQutbMgJ8.html

What a surprise to hear this today, what a masterpiece! Jim Croce would be a natural next in this great songwriters genre. Keep on rocking 😎

If you're ever in Paris (post-COVID, I mean) - the Van Gogh exhibit at Musee d'Orsay is a must see. The large self-portrait just grabs you by the throat. And seeing the brushwork in all the paintings was just... beyond words. If your time is limited, choose this one over the Louvre. You won't be sorry.

This one of the most emotionally touching songs of all ime!👍🏻❤️😢😢