Vincent's Blues
Gene Vincent Lyrics

Starry, starry night.
The first line introduces the imagery of a clear, beautiful night sky.

Paint your palette blue and grey,
The singer describes the colors used in the painting, specifically the blue and grey tones.

Look out on a summer's day,
The painting captures a glimpse of summer in the scenery depicted.

With eyes that know the darkness in my soul.
The artist has a deep and intimate understanding of the darker aspects of human experience and expresses it through their work.

Shadows on the hills,
The hills in the painting are cast in shadow, adding to the mood of the piece.

Sketch the trees and the daffodils,
The artist has delicately captured the natural beauty of the trees and flowers in the scene.

Catch the breeze and the winter chills,
The painting captures the sensation of winter weather through the use of color and imagery.

In colors on the snowy linen land.
The painting is created on a canvas or linen surface, and the artist has expertly brought the landscape to life through their skillful use of color and brushstrokes.

Now I understand what you tried to say to me,
The artist has gained insight into the message conveyed by the artist's work.

How you suffered for your sanity,
The artist experienced significant personal struggles in their pursuit of creating art, which the artist has come to understand and empathize with.

How you tried to set them free.
Through their art, the artist sought to liberate others from their own struggles or limitations.

They would not listen, they did not know how.
Despite the artist's intentions, their message was not received or fully understood by their audience.

Perhaps they'll listen now.
The singer holds out hope that the message conveyed by the artist's work will be better understood or appreciated by future generations.

Flaming flowers that brightly blaze,
The painting now depicts flowers with striking, vivid colors that draw the viewer's attention.

Swirling clouds in violet haze,
The clouds in the painting have a purple tint, adding to the dreamlike and surreal nature of the scene.

Reflect in Vincent's eyes of China blue.
The colors and shapes depicted in the painting are mirrored in the blue eyes of the artist himself, suggesting that the work is a reflection of the artist's own psyche.

Colors changing hue, morning field of amber grain,
The landscape depicted in the painting shifts and transforms continuously, suggesting a sense of impermanence and transience.

Weathered faces lined in pain,
The artist has captured the pain and suffering etched into the faces of the people in the landscape.

Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand.
Despite the sorrow and pain depicted, there is a sense of compassion and care that emanates from the artist towards their subjects.

For they could not love you,
The artist's love and devotion to their work was not reciprocated or understood by those around them.

But still your love was true.
The artist's love for their craft remained unwavering despite the challenges they faced.

And when no hope was left in sight
The artist had reached a state of hopelessness and despair.

On that starry, starry night,
This line refers back to the opening line of the song, calling attention to the clear and beautiful night sky that serves as the backdrop for the artist's ultimate decision.

You took your life, as lovers often do.
The artist ultimately committed suicide, a tragic end that is depicted as an act of love towards their craft and the world of art they believed in.

But I could have told you, Vincent,
The singer is addressing the artist directly, suggesting that they could have offered guidance and support that might have prevented the tragic outcome.

This world was never meant for one
The world at large is depicted as a hostile and unforgiving place for those who are perceived as different or unconventional.

As beautiful as you.
The artist's talent and beauty are ultimately seen as a source of their pain and suffering, making the tragedy of their death even more poignant.

Portraits hung in empty halls,
This line paints a sad portrait of the artist's legacy, with their work hung in empty spaces and largely ignored by modern viewers.

Frameless head on nameless walls,
The imagery suggests a sense of anonymity and forgotten-ness, with the artist's name and contributions all but erased from history.

With eyes that watch the world and can't forget.
Despite their erasure from the cultural consciousness, the artist continues to watch the world and be present in some form through their work.

Like the strangers that you've met,
Throughout their life, the artist encountered many strangers as well as loved ones who failed to fully appreciate or understand their unique perspective.

The ragged men in the ragged clothes,
The artist was sensitive to the plight of the marginalized and outcast individuals in society, whose struggles are depicted in the artist's work.

The silver thorn of bloody rose,
This line contains powerful and evocative imagery that suggests beauty, pain, and the coexistence of pleasure and suffering.

Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow.
This final line conveys a sense of finality and loss, with the beautiful imagery of the wounded rose laid to rest on the unblemished snow.

They would not listen, they're not listening still.
The artist's message continues to go unheeded and misunderstood by those who surround them.

Perhaps they never will.
The song ends on a note of bleakness and pessimism, with little hope offered for the ultimate understanding or appreciation of the artist's work.