Reciclagem musical VI

Em 1972, o cantor norte-americano Don McLean editava no seu álbum American Pie, esta canção em homenagem ao pintor holandês Vincent van Gogh (1853-1901).Este pintor é hoje considerado um dos grandes génios da arte, contudo a sua vida foi pautada por uma série de adversidades, que incluíram a falta de aceitação que a sua obra teve. Esta canção é uma das minhas favoritas, e na minha opinião a sua letra é um dos mais belos poemas que eu já ouvi.

Vincent

Starry, starry night.
Paints your palette blue and grey,
Look out on a summer's day,
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,
Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue.
Colours changing hue, morning field of amber grain,
Weathered faces lined in pain,
Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand.

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.
For they could not love you,
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.
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 heads on nameless walls,
With eyes that watch the world and can't forget.
Like the strangers that you've met,
The ragged men in the ragged clothes,
The silver thorn of a 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...

A Historia está recheada de casos como este. Um dos grandes problemas das sociedades humanas foi e é a total incapacidade de entender e respeitar a diferença. Muitas pessoas são olhadas de lado por ousarem pensar e viver de outras formas e não se limitarem a cumprir o que era esperado delas. Apressamo-nos a rotular essas pessoas de inadaptadas, anti-sociais e desprezamo-las sem que nos passe pela cabeça ouvir o que tem para dizer ou dar valor às suas iniciativas e quando o fazemos (se o fazemos) com demasiada frequência já é demasiado tarde.