Foto Tunes

Tom hosts Foto Tunes

July 2020  - Toronto ON

As mentioned we finally attended the world premiere of the Immersive Van Gogh Experience. It had been delayed due to the pandemic lockdown.

We had seen the show in Paris last year and I was disappointed that the Starry Night presentation did not use the Don McLean song as it did in Paris.

Our video Starry Night

Starry Starry Night

Lyrics with Analysis

Below are the lyrics to Don McLean's hit song Vincent (Starry, Starry Night) and a comparison to Van Gogh's Actual Life.

Starry, starry night.
Paint your palette blue and grey,
Look out on a summer's day,


This is giving Van Gogh's vantage point looking out from the asylum at Saint-Remy. When he first entered the asylum, he painted mainly from his room or the courtyard garden, but later went further afield to paint.

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.

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 flowers that brightly blaze, Swirling clouds in violet haze,
Flaming Flowers - The Sunflower Series, Swirling Clouds - Starry Night
Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue.
Colors changing hue, morning field of amber grain,
Field of Amber Grain - Wheat Field with Crows
Weathered faces lined in pain,
Weathered Faces: The Potato Eaters
Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand.

For they could not love you,
This is Van Gogh's tragic Death. Even though he loved painting, his paintings could never love him back.
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.
Van Gogh attempted suicide by shooting himself in the chest, which ultimately led to his death two days later. 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 head on nameless walls,
With eyes that watch the world and can't forget.
Van Gogh's artistic legacy is contained within his paintings, drawings and writings. They are everlasting and will never "forget" the style that created them. They are Van Gogh's eyes that watch the world. This is all metaphorically speaking though.
Like the strangers that you've met,
The ragged men in the ragged clothes,
The silver thorn of bloody rose,
Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow.

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 listening still.
Perhaps they never will...
Finally we come to the conclusion of realizing Van Gogh's eternal struggle.