Is American Pie the best song ever written?

CaptainP · Post by **CaptainP** » March 23, 2005 12:34 am

Tiki Bar wrote:No, but it was a darn funny screenplay!

The song reminds me of the album, which was given to my by Steve, a romantic guy with an enduring smile, who I wish I would have gotten to know better, and who I sometimes wonder what he's doing now. And now I'm trying to remember why he even gave me the album - I know it was for a song... must have been Starry Starry Night when I think about it...

Fins In Low Places, your name isn't Steve is it?

Starry Starry Night is actually a song called "Vincent". It was written about his friend who committed suicide.

Tiki Bar · Post by **Tiki Bar** » March 23, 2005 12:39 am

Tiki Bar wrote:I know it was for a song... must have been Starry Starry Night when I think about it...

My mistake - song was Vincent... glad I apparently didn't pay attention to the lyrics back then - now I'm totally confused! Even though my eyes aren't brown, it would have been a more appropriate song selection - I think!

Tiki Bar · Post by **Tiki Bar** » March 23, 2005 12:40 am

CaptainP wrote:
Tiki Bar wrote:No, but it was a darn funny screenplay!

The song reminds me of the album, which was given to my by Steve, a romantic guy with an enduring smile, who I wish I would have gotten to know better, and who I sometimes wonder what he's doing now. And now I'm trying to remember why he even gave me the album - I know it was for a song... must have been Starry Starry Night when I think about it...

Fins In Low Places, your name isn't Steve is it?
Starry Starry Night is actually a song called "Vincent". It was written about his friend who committed suicide.

I realized that before I saw your post - but like I said, now I don't know what was going on!

CaptainP · Post by **CaptainP** » March 23, 2005 12:42 am

Vincent
Don McLean

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.

Tiki Bar · Post by **Tiki Bar** » March 23, 2005 12:52 am

a. was he suicidal, and I missed the clues
b. did he think I was suicidal
c. did he lose a loved one to suicide, and I missed te clues
d. did he think I was insane
e. did he not get past the starry starry night, and relate it to our night under the stars
f. am I over analyzing this

you're darn tootin I'm sending an email to a friend from his HS to find out when the 20 year reunion is this year, and if he's on the list!

CaptainP · Post by **CaptainP** » March 23, 2005 12:54 am

I think he didn't listen very carefully to it...

Lightning Bolt · Post by **Lightning Bolt** » March 23, 2005 2:45 am

CaptainP wrote:
Tiki Bar wrote:No, but it was a darn funny screenplay!

The song reminds me of the album, which was given to my by Steve, a romantic guy with an enduring smile, who I wish I would have gotten to know better, and who I sometimes wonder what he's doing now. And now I'm trying to remember why he even gave me the album - I know it was for a song... must have been Starry Starry Night when I think about it...

Fins In Low Places, your name isn't Steve is it?
Starry Starry Night is actually a song called "Vincent". It was written about his friend who committed suicide.

Check that one.
Pretty sure it was written about the painter, Vincent van Gogh, and McLean's ponderings over the artist's gifted, but troubled life which ended in suicide at age 37.
The lyrics sure seem to reflect on the painter's thoughts of one his most famous works, Starry Night.
Where's Jah at, to back me up on this one?

CaptainP · Post by **CaptainP** » March 23, 2005 8:25 am

Lightning Bolt wrote:
CaptainP wrote:
Tiki Bar wrote:No, but it was a darn funny screenplay!

The song reminds me of the album, which was given to my by Steve, a romantic guy with an enduring smile, who I wish I would have gotten to know better, and who I sometimes wonder what he's doing now. And now I'm trying to remember why he even gave me the album - I know it was for a song... must have been Starry Starry Night when I think about it...

Fins In Low Places, your name isn't Steve is it?
Starry Starry Night is actually a song called "Vincent". It was written about his friend who committed suicide.
Check that one.
Pretty sure it was written about the painter, Vincent van Gogh, and McLean's ponderings over the artist's gifted, but troubled life which ended in suicide at age 37.
The lyrics sure seem to reflect on the painter's thoughts of one his most famous works, Starry Night.
Where's Jah at, to back me up on this one?

That makes a lot of sense. I heard the other story long ago, but it could have been wrong. The lyrics are definately about suicide, though...

bravedave · Post by **bravedave** » March 23, 2005 8:52 am

Could be that McLean used the story of Van Gogh, whose troubled life ended in suicide, to eulogize his friend who met the same fate.
Just a thought.

ph4ever · Post by **ph4ever** » March 23, 2005 9:22 am

IsleReef · Post by **IsleReef** » March 23, 2005 9:25 am

No Way..............

Jahfin · Post by **Jahfin** » March 23, 2005 10:06 am

I think it's definitely a great song but I'm not sure I'd include in my top 100 of all time. I think something like "Imagine" would be near the top for me.

Regarding "Vincent", according to allmusic.com, it's about Van Gogh.

Lightning Bolt · Post by **Lightning Bolt** » March 23, 2005 1:14 pm

Just to stay on topic, I would have "American Pie" in my Top 100, too.

The lyrics don't rank right up there with Dylan, Morrison, or Lennon to me,
but the song was right there during a lot of my favorite young man days and nights,
and that's what makes the song great in my mind!

Funny thing about "Vincent",
until I saw the lyrics recently up on a karaoke screen,
I pretty much thought the song was called "Starry, Starry Night".... and was about a starry night.

LIPH · Post by **LIPH** » March 23, 2005 2:12 pm

How can anyone think American Pie is the greatest song ever written when we have such classics as O.P.P., Baby Got Back and my personal favorite, Feelings?

tikitatas · Post by **tikitatas** » March 23, 2005 4:54 pm

I DO turn the channel each time it comes on.

Cubbie Bear · Post by **Cubbie Bear** » March 23, 2005 4:57 pm

tikitatas wrote:I DO turn the channel each time it comes on.

Canadian

that does it, I'm never listening to Gordon Lightweight again

LIPH · Post by **LIPH** » March 23, 2005 5:06 pm

Cubbie Bear wrote:
tikitatas wrote:I DO turn the channel each time it comes on.
Canadian

that does it, I'm never listening to Gordon Lightweight again

Or Celine Dion

PHBeerman · Post by **PHBeerman** » March 23, 2005 6:18 pm

LIPH wrote:
Cubbie Bear wrote:
tikitatas wrote:I DO turn the channel each time it comes on.
Canadian

that does it, I'm never listening to Gordon Lightweight again
Or Celine Dion

Or Shania Twain.

Lightning Bolt · Post by **Lightning Bolt** » March 23, 2005 6:24 pm

I'll just turn down the volume , when Shania's videos play

PHBeerman · Post by **PHBeerman** » March 23, 2005 6:25 pm

Lightning Bolt wrote:I'll just turn down the volume , when Shania's videos play

That's fair.