Vincent and the myth of the artist
I was at a wedding the other day, which was all very exciting. My Geordie cousin Mal, who I don’t know too well but is definitely one of the good guys, was getting hitched to his long term partner Jo. It wasn’t a particularly surprising wedding, given that they’ve already got three kids together, but that’s not really the point. It was still beautiful and romantic, and I was very glad I went.
The point is though, after the service in the beautiful 11th century church hidden behind a council estate in Newburn, Northumberland, we went down the local rec for the reception. They didn’t have a band or a DJ, but Mal’s brother Kevin had put together a pretty decent iTunes playlist. So there we were, happily listening to a bunch of classic songs, when Don McLean’s Vincent came on. Now I don’t know Don’s output very well, apart of course from the ubiquitous American Pie, but Vincent is an interesting one, as obviously it’s about the life and death of Vincent Van Gogh. Funnily enough, even as an art lover, I find it difficult to think of any songs about artists. There’s definitely a connection, though, between McLean’s Vincent and the sixties rock stars who ended their careers prematurely in wooden boxes underground. Van Gogh is absolutely the classic visual artist suicide, and perhaps it’s no surprise to find him eulogised in song by the man who wrote the iconic song about “the day the music died”. If you can think of any other great songs about artists, post them here!
Similar Posts:
Sexuality in Art and Music : I was doing a red diesel Halifax…
The Interlude Dance Troupe review : Some friends of mine wanted…
The Museum of Childhood : After school at the Museum of…
Art and the Artist : Art is a universal language which could be…
Comments are closed!