Don McLean | Vincent (1972)
"Vincent" is a song by Don McLean written as a tribute to Vincent van Gogh. It is also known by its opening line, "Starry Starry Night", a reference to Van Gogh's 1889 painting The Starry Night. The song also describes other paintings by the artist.
1972-03-05 19:00:00 - Music Video
McLean wrote the lyrics in 1971 after reading a book about the life of van Gogh. It was released on McLean's 1971 American Pie album, and the following year the song became the No. 1 hit in the UK Singles Chart for two weeks. Billboard ranked it as the No. 94 song for 1972.
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.