Stary Stary Night是唐麦克林纪念画家文森特·梵高的致敬之作,这首歌所写的就是梵高的一幅充满强烈表现力的最受人爱戴的名画《The Starry Night》(星夜)。此画是1889年住在St.Remy精神病院内所画。这幅名画The Starry Night现放于纽约Museum of Modern Art内,每天开始及完结时,艺术馆都会播放DonMcLean的Vincent这首名曲。在唐·麦克林那轻柔的歌声中你也许已经无法将它联想到圣雷米的德莫索尔精神病院,在几近透明的木吉它和不加修饰的歌声里,你所能想到的也许只有一片点缀着莹莹星光的夜空,而绝对不会回想起在那幅画作问世13个月之后的那一声枪响。是否每当一种宁静纯粹到绝对的程度时,也往往意味着另一种惊天动地的燥动也将随之而来,就如同梵高的悲剧一样。画家的笔触创造出那种让人感动和颤栗的感觉,仿佛画面中的一切都在呼唤着生命似的,一种激情燃烧的生命力扑面而来。似熊熊燃烧的火焰般的树以及由奇特的月亮、星星和神奇的漩涡所构成的天空给人以悲怆而激动的感染,这种感染直直地穿透至人们的心底深处,让人们宛如亲眼目睹到一个美丽新世界。梵高画下《Starry Night》时,绝不会想到,81年后,美国乡村民谣歌手Don McClean看到这幅画,会写出这首《Starry Starry Night》来献给他。不知被他所感动过而又曾抛弃过他的世界能不能由此给他带来些许感动。
STARY STARY NIGHT (VINCENT) By Don McLean
星夜
Starry, starry night 繁星之夜 Paint your palette blue and gray 星空在你的画板照得灰暗幽兰 Look out on a summer's day 某个夏日 With eyes that know the darkness in my soul 你用洞悉我灵魂深处的双眼 Shadows on the hills 看到山上的阴影 Sketch the trees and the daffodils 画上树和水仙花 Catch the breeze and the winter chills 捕捉微风和冬天的寒意 In colors on the snowy linen land 亚麻色的大地覆盖着积雪 Now I understand 现在我明白了 What you tried to say to me 你想对我说什么 And how you suffered for your sanity 你如何承受天赋的折磨 And how you tried to set them free 你如何试图释放你的才华 They would not listen; they did not know how 他们不听,他们不曾知道 Perhaps they'll listen now 也许现在他们会听
Starry, starry night 繁星之夜 Flaming flowers that brightly blaze 耀眼的花朵闪烁光芒 Swirling clouds in violet haze 流转的云朵散发紫罗兰的朦胧 Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue 在文森特中国蓝的眼睛中闪耀 Colors changing hue 颜色在变 Morning fields of amber grain 清晨琥珀色的田野 Weathered faces lined in pain 痛苦中风化的脸 Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand 在艺术家爱之手下减轻痛苦
Now I understand 现在我明白了 What you tried to say to me 你想对我说什么 And how you suffered for your sanity 你如何承受天赋的折磨 And how you tried to set them free 你如何试图释放你的才华 They would not listen; they did not know how 他们从来不听,他们不曾知道 Perhaps they'll listen now 也许现在他们会听
For they could not love you 因为他们不能爱你 But still, your love was true 但你的爱是真挚的 And when no hope was left inside 当内心再也没有希望 On that starry, starry night 在布满星星的夜晚 You took your life as lovers often do 你像情人们常做的那样结束自己的生命 But I could've told you, Vincent 我本应告诉你,文森特 This world was never meant For one as beautiful as you 这个世界从来就不象你一样美
Starry, starry night 繁星之夜 Portraits hung in empty halls 肖像挂在空荡荡的大厅 Frameless heads on nameless walls 无名的墙上挂着无框的头像 With eyes that watch the world and can't forget 凝视这个世界,难以忘却 Like the strangers that you've met 就像你遇见的陌生人 The ragged men in ragged clothes 褴褛的衣服粗鲁的人 The silver thorn, a bloody rose 血红色玫瑰、银色荆棘 Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow 破碎地躺在无痕的雪地上 Now I think I know 现在我明白了 What you tried to say to me 你想对我说什么 And how you suffered for your sanity 你如何承受天赋的折磨 And how you tried to set them free 你如何试图释放你的才华 They would not listen; They are not listening still 他们不曾听说 他们仍然听不到 perhaps they never will 也许他们从未听说