Vincent
Don McLean
American Pie (1971)
Don McLean
Listen to the Song
At a glance
- Key
- G major
- Time signature
- 4/4
- Main progression
- I–ii7–IV–V–vi–V7/V
- Chords used
- Em · A7 · D · G · Am7 · C · D7
Summary
Released on the American Pie album in 1971, 'Vincent' is Don McLean's intimate fingerpicked tribute to Vincent van Gogh, weaving references to the painter's works and troubled life into a gentle acoustic ballad. Often known by its opening line 'Starry, Starry Night', it became one of the defining singer-songwriter ballads of the early 1970s and remains McLean's most beloved song after 'American Pie'.
Chord Sheet
Chords Used
Progression by Section
Chorus
Verse
Chord Diagrams
Musical Analysis
Harmonically, 'Vincent' is a study in restraint: a mostly diatonic G major palette enriched by seventh-chord voicings and a recurring secondary dominant that adds wistful tension. The interest comes less from chord novelty than from how the fingerpicked arpegg…
History
Don McLean wrote 'Vincent' as a tribute to the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh after reflecting on the artist's life and work. The song's opening image draws directly on van Gogh's 1889 painting 'The Starry Night', and the lyrics frame the painter as a misunder…
“The track appears on the same album as 'American Pie', giving McLean two of his signature songs on one record”
Full musical analysis
Harmonically, 'Vincent' is a study in restraint: a mostly diatonic G major palette enriched by seventh-chord voicings and a recurring secondary dominant that adds wistful tension. The interest comes less from chord novelty than from how the fingerpicked arpeggiation lets each harmony ring, leaving space for the melody and lyric to carry the emotion.
Don McLean wrote 'Vincent' as a tribute to the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh after reflecting on the artist's life and work. The song's opening image draws directly on van Gogh's 1889 painting 'The Starry Night', and the lyrics frame the painter as a misunderstood genius ('they would not listen, they did not know how').
Released on the American Pie album in 1971, 'Vincent' is Don McLean's intimate fingerpicked tribute to Vincent van Gogh, weaving references to the painter's works and troubled life into a gentle acoustic ballad. Often known by its opening line 'Starry, Starry Night', it became one of the defining singer-songwriter ballads of the early 1970s and remains McLean's most beloved song after 'American Pie'.
Some sections are still pending
6 of 12 sections are ready. Ask for the rest and this song moves up our analysis queue.
Song DNA
Genre
Folk
Era
70s
Mood
Melancholic
Tempo
Ballad
Key
Major
Texture
Sparse
Sound
Acoustic
Feel
Straight
Explore More
Similar Songs
Explore related
Statistics
3.5M
Plays
490K
Listeners
625K
Genius Views
30
Annotations
100%
Popularity
4:00
Duration
4/4
Time
Credits
Written by
Produced by
From the album American Pie