Vincent (1972) 2/21/20

One morning, in 1970, Don McLean was reading a book about Vincent Van Gogh, and it struck him that Van Gogh was not just "crazy" as so many art historians have labeled him; he was suffering from a mental illness.

To McLean, that was an important distinction, and he felt compelled to write a song arguing that Van Gogh's suicide was "a sane comment on an insane world."

So he sat down with a print of Van Gogh's painting. "The Starry Night," and wrote the lyrics on a paper bag as he worked out the chords on his guitar.

It was a very unusual (and intellectual) topic, but radio listeners fell in love with the combination of bittersweet and softness...and turned "Vincent" into a "Great Song of the '70s!"

It appeared on McLean's "American Pie" album, and was released as the followup single to the title cut.

In 1972, it went to #1 in the UK and Ireland, #2 in the US, #3 in Canada, and was a Top 10 hit in 4 other countries.

Here's "Vincent (Starry Starry Night)"