Added: 5 years ago
From: ChuckAkins
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  • This had to have been from around Aug to Oct 1993, because "Nashville Now" on the old TNN network with host Ralph Emery went off the air on Oct,15,1993, This is fantastic, just beautiful, and chet didn't release this album till 1994 called "Read My Licks". !!!

  • Heavenly, Lovely, Love Song. Thank`s Don Mclean you`re GREAT:!!!!!!!!

  • Don McLean sings directly to Vincent. The others who sing this song, just sing. Though many are beautiful, McLean is only one singing directly to Vincent. Truly beautiful.

  • A truly beautiful song but I can't help thinking that the conflation of a variation on Chet's wonderful instrumental arrangement and Don's original is counter-productive. One or the other would be just fine for me.

  • "This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you." What a beautiful thing to say.

  • Vincent would love this. What more can you say?

  • Words fail, perfection achieved.

  • Why can´t anyone make music like this anymore. Music isn´t music nowadays :(

  • was that george w bush playing guitar ???

  • @hushhushduo God almighty I was just going to say that! Bush could play this!!! With Dick Cheney on gee-tar.

  • Two most amazing talents together. This is awesome! Thank you for this post!

  • I think Chet Atkins' guitar playing is great, but I prefer Don's simple acoustic guitar style which makes it easier to listen to his beautiful lyrics and voice.

  • I can't use language to describe how beautiful this is.

  • Absolutely stunning! Like a flawless diamond or a deep red rose!

  • Perfection has been achieved

  • American Pie just never showcased Don McLean's voice the way this song does. So amazingly beautiful. And Don McLean does not need Chet Atkins or anyone else, in fact I find it distracting.

  • American Pie just never showcased Don McLean's voice the way this song does. So amazingly beautiful.

  • Damn it, I cried.

  • @calumisdead You're such a baby!

  • Don likes saying" this guy plays better than me ."

  • Oh that was just lovely.

    

  • Don really puts feeling in his songs. He sings so beautiful.

  • Beautiful post...and yes, Chet is just Chet. As a musician, I find it difficult to find artists that classify themselves like no other. Jackson, Don, James, Arlo...God, there were so so many. Thanks for sharing this. I needed this one tonight.

  • Beautiful! Chet had his A and low E string down a whole step.

  • A little bit of heaven.....~~~

  • Update: Still worlds best song!!!! News at 11

  • Had chills the whole time.

  • who is vincent...van gough

  • @auggdogrules Yes, it was Van Gogh.

  • Who could have ever dislike this. I feel so bad to whoever did so. You make me lose hope for this world.

  • Not one tone out of place, the perfect song..... and what year was this? And done Live! Don still plays out, and I think Chet is gone. The perfect use of tthe echoplex on chets guitar, and the reverb on Don's voice (both of those things being all new back then), they are the perfect match. And it's a story song, I could go on and on....

  • now that's a live performance!

  • Is it just me or does Don McLean look like Sig Hansen from Deadliest Catch???

  • @workinmanstone No, it's not just you, I posted that on a Deadliest Catch fansite and had a shedload of people agree with me

  • i think that the tempo of the song is to slow,it is obvious that chet set the tempo for the song with his opening introduction,and it realy shows that don is use to singing this at a slightly faster pace. it seems like the lyrics sort of just drug along. does any body else hear that?

  • wonderful...

    

  • I've been a Don McLean and Chet Atkins fan for decades. I can't believe I just found this. Great. It needs a little higher tempo, though, I think.

  • Chet died in 2001, I would guess this performance is around 1994.

  • What year is this performance, anyone?

  • Absolutely wonderful version of an amazing song. Both musicians put so much feeling into their work.

  • I love this version, but it seems to me that they dont sound like they rehearsed at all... just sat down , and said, "Hey, we both know it. Just go." Still, a beautiful rendition though

  • Wow....The most beautiful secular song ever written. To top it off Don is an excellent singer and what can one say about Chet Atkins(both are just amazing). I saw this performance on Nashville Now many years ago and have it recorded on VCR tape somewhere. Very touching, reaching the soul.....obviously Don understood the artist and is just gifted with the voculabury to write and record the song.....Thanks seems so small for the posting of this performance.......Just beautiful.....Jerry

  • The confusion of my mind is doing it again 2 days in postictal re cooperation, I think Van Gogh would be most fitting ,it is a hard state to describe for others that have not been there,my aura is heavy with only the cold to keep it at bay,the sharp silvers have turned to mud!CRUD,If someone touches me I think will scream?cry? wait,hold out a little longer,I go through hell only to see the devil smiling back,grin & bear it they say, never hey,ya wanna play,restless,vomit,Rick

  • Wow I feel redeemed ,Just discovered this for the first time! The insanity of Van Gogh is where I began and find out the genius of Chet follows up I am in awe! thanks so much. Rick

  • just wow .the most wonderful thing i believe i've ever heard on you tube. Chet was the best. and a 10+ tune. gave me goosebumps from the first chord ! thanks

  • This has to be one of the finest pieces of guitar playing on the whole of YouTube!

  • Sweet.

  • A beautiful song of the tragic life of Van Gogh. Chet Atkin's was one of the best guitarists of the 20th century. He compliments a beautiful story of Vincent's paintings and a misunderstood genius. Chet's playing was flawless. And what can you say of the man who wrote "American Pie". One of the biggest pop songs of all time by McLean.

  • @johnthehulk1 You are SO correct..except for one, slight variation I'd make to your comment: I'd say Chet Atkins was THE finest guitarist who has ever lived...bar none. I saw Chet Atkins, as a kid. My dad saw him, in Tennessee, when Chet was about 18, playing on a back porch; he was flawless then. God, I miss him. Don Mclean has achieved something, with very few songs, most songwriters never do; namely, he wrote two of THE greatest and most successful songs in music history: American Pie & this!

  • Vincent-Muriel Anderson and Tommy Emmanuel - Another very beautiful version--only thing lacking is Don's singing--but I'm sure he would approve. They take a lovely song and make it lovelier still. My husband discovered Muriel Anderson while looking up Phil Keaggy, another very fine guitar player.

    '

  • Bit soppy I would normally say...but very sincere indeed, Mr Atkins to join what can I say....van Gogh never sold a painting during his life time...what a misery...and foolness of man kind...without the man no modern painting...

  • lindo tema

  • I read analysts of it somewhere "strangers that you've met"..."ragged men in ragged clothes" they were kinda 3am street walkers back then-anonymous- way forbidden to have relationships etc etc.

  • Beautiful. Best version ever. It is about Vincent's gayness- never knew that

  • @Fatjimi1 Gayness about Vincent Van Gogh ? Please tell me more....

  • Never realized what a good singer Don McLean was. A real pro allowing a great song to flow through him.

  • Magic

  • brings tears to my eyes :)...its so beautiful

  • It just doesn't get any better than this.

  • The beauty of this rendition defies adequate description in English. Our words just seem very poor. My heart knows though.

  • I don't think Mclean realized what a masterpiece he wrote until Chet joined him for this duet. Don playing a Martin Don Mclean and Chet playing a Gibson Chet Atkins SST. You're right. It gets no better than this. I've played a Chet Atkins. Heavy as a rock and the plastic insert inside the sound hole is loose and very tacky. But Chet approved it so that's the important thing.

  • @LashBridges Oops, Chet plays a nylon CE (not sst for this piece).... But it doesn't really matters... We all miss Chet.

  • Amazing

  • Brings tears to the eyes. Chets `playing (especially the harmonics) to tastefull for words. (Miss you Chet!)

  • Beautiful

  • BEAUTIFUL...........

  • what year was this?

  • 14 people are idiots

  • Of course it's absolutely perfect but also sad: Don McLean has written so many beautiful melodies, but also wrote Vincent which ended his career in some ways, because improving on perfection is impossible. However, this video may have been the first time when he got close to improving on that perfection, since Chet Atkins laid down a background that allowed Don to sing the song in peace at last.

  • @Cymru4sc I agree- it's hard to envision a combination that could top this. We have one of the most hauntingly beautiful songs ever written, sung by the writer as he no doubt had in his mind when he wrote it, and complemented perfectly by one of the greatest guitarists ever. I'd like to peer into the minds of those 14 who disliked this to see firsthand what lunacy looks like.

  • Masterpiece mastefully done ,,,

  • TWO ANGELS !!!

  • ♥ ♥

  • GOT TO BE ONE OF THE GREATIST SONGS EVER WROTE LOVE TO SEE THEY TALENTLESS FOLK ON THE X FACTOR WRITE A SONG LIKE THIS NEVER HAVE NEVER WILL THIS WILL STILL BE KICKING AROUND PEOPLE'S MIND LONG AFTER THEY 5 MIN WONDER'S ARE GONE

  • Perfect paring of two outstanding artists

  • nice:)!!!!!!!!!!

    

  • Wow 3 fantastic artists: Vincent there only in thought, reflection and 2 great artists sharing appreciation...what an interesting version! Don really has a great performing voice...so nicely done what a great duo!

  • why Rolling Stones didn't put Chet Atkins in the List of Greatest guitarists of all time ???

  • @badbom92 chet he greatest of all time---shame rolling stone likes rock players only or are they actually stupid. no one could match chet

  • Sheer brilliance and beauty.

  • Two genuine artists giving tribute to another genius.

  • Two legends on the same stage.. why the hell this doesn't have 1mil+ views... for christ's sake ..

  • chet's the greatest guitarist ever...

  • This is so beautiful it breaks your heart...

  • @twin101855 It really does.

  • Beautiful. I sit here and cry over the beusty of the words, the guiatrist and the singer. Thanks guys!

  • Thanks for sharing. I understand this song better now because of youtube comments.

  • THANK YOU for this soothing song by two great musicians! PEACE & LOVE TO ALL, especially you, Vincent, wherever you are. Thank you.

  • Don´s voice.........oh, it is so beautiful! And the song itself, both lyrics and melody, so beautiful! And Chet....wow!

  • This version more than any other moves me to tears.Absolutely beautiful.Thank you!!

  • One of the best duos, great stuff, God bless Chet, no doubt that he continues his gig in heaven.

    Lothar Tries Buenos Aires

  • What a beautiful voice..

  • My dad bought Chet Atkins" Picks on the Beatles" when I was 5 years old. Now I am 50 and still remember that Album. What a great pair of men, talent overload....Thank you both.

  • The world lost a great musician when it lost Chet..........

  • This song makes my heart bleeeeeeed :'( It's sooooo sad and beautiful and I love it sooooo much!

  • Beautiful together....always loved this song.

  • Two brilliant musicians making brilliant music...Chet is so badly missed.... Thanks for the post

  • Those 14 Tone Deaf Mutha's/non Romantic,Musical Missfits, who couldn't carry a tune in a Bucket,and didn't like this Classic,???

    Otta do what Vincent did... just check out,and go straight to "Rape Crap",Hell.

  • This song is about a Painting by Van Gogh.......

  • Incredible music but this is only the 3rd time I've listened to it and can't figure out what the words mean or the meaning of the song? Help please? Thanks

  • @55centerstage It's a homage to Vincent van Gogh. The song describes his many paintings and also how and why he committed suicide.

  • @55centerstage, Van Gogh was a troubled artist who suffered from depression. His art was ridiculed while he lived by those who didn't understand it, they weren't listening. Now it is considered the work of a genius. This song is about the beauty of his work and his troubled soul. You should find a book with paintings by Van Gogh and study them. They are filled with emotion. Listen to what Van Gogh was trying to say with his art, then you'll understand.

  • @oxmix23 You got it. This song made me change my opinion of Van Gogh.

  • @55centerstage the wiki page for this song is quite accurate. van gogh's life was really sad...did you know that he only sold ONE painting when he was alive?

    he was a devote catholic and he worked for the church once; he was fired because he gave away his possessions he said,

    “They think I'm a madman,because I wanted to be a true Christian. They turned me out like a dog, saying that I was causing a scandal.”

  • Simply fabulous!

    What a thrill! Amazing talent!!

    Thank you and to StuartStreet for sharing!

  • True music is what you can make the whole world silent to listen to, only with a simple guitar... They were TRUE MUSIC... RIP Chet Atkins

  • Notice how many people are there, and how silent they all are when Chet and Don starts to play,,, theres not a single sound,,,,, thats how brilliant this performance is... Two Giants that make eachother even greater.

  • one of the very few absolutely brilliant pairing of lyrics and melody.

  • Inpresionante,a llegado a mi corazón .

  • Don Mclean couldn't be beat, I thought. Then I heard Chet's introduction and playing with Dons singing and "Zounds". Best "Vincent" ever!

  • It was almost as if Don had to remind himself to sing after listening to Chet's intro.

    Everyone is saying it but it can't be said enough..two musical geniuses.

  • What Torvill and Dean were to ice dancing, this arrangement should be the equivelent of perfection to which all others should be compared--Alla Perfecto-Mike Measure

  • Wow. just beautiful

  • Too bad there is static in the background...great performance.

  • BRAVO, CHET AND DON.

  • I'm humbler still, thank your VERY MUCH, oaky132x. You made my day in the life much brighter.  Cover your eyes, here i come....get ready baby, cuz here I come. (Cqn you IMAGINE?). I'm not worthy, either. OMGGGGGG2MAX

  • Oh my GOD, DUDE !! Thank YUo, Yo?!! UnforkinReal. God, I wish I had that gift. You, Tom, Adam, Pio, and Paul all play with such reckless abandon. Steve is not shy on the mike, either. Hardest instrument to master, the pipes. Starts in the grey matter, don't matter much any more.

  • @loveart007 No more than E, equaling the insanity of eternity, slowly unfolding at the speed of Love of Light of Life.

    PS. Thank you, those friendly spirits who have passed an instant or too near me. Coming to a theatre nowhere near you. Life, the Non-Spectral Sport. Just Be. Let It Be. All you need is Love. Love U All, All the way, dug

  • This is beautiful. I'm going to have good dreams I'm sure. I couldn't have picked a better time to watch two of the most talented song writers play one of my favorite songs.

  • Two great masters.... thank you for this amazing beautiful post....

  • Like Don I. But a little too sweet?

  • Very nice

    5***** posting

  • a beautiful song, beautifully done...by the Guitar Master and the Poet

  • is it me or does he look a little chubby

  • it's very seldom to get a cake complete with trimmings and icings. thanks for posting, this will be cherished for the poem that really rhymes.

  • On ESPN one day of all places,Chris Berman said if you wanted to know where all the poets went,look no farther than music.

  • Chet.. stop it!!

  • Some of the most poetic lyrics written in any century...

  • its simply tooooomuch Don must do it on his own.. With my respect for Chet.. It gets.. toooo sweeet..too much sugar!!

  • You can't beat real talent - great guitarist, great poet/singer and not to forget their tribute to a really great artist - Vincent Van Gogh. Thank you for this - beautiful.

  • Thank you.

  • This is a beutiful and haunting song. I love Don and Chet . I was in Amerstadam and visited the Van Gough museam . Just out of this world. 4 Floors of his work worth billions.

  • if only the sound can be re mastered! so beautiful-- for chet fans you have to see his appearance on  The Johnny Cash Show" it's one to remember- the poem JR writes for Chet is soul stirring.

  • ahhhh what an amazing sound. the sharp cleanest of Atkins guitar and the crispness of McLean's voice.

    Thank you so much for this post,

    Ken

  • Thanks for this Great Upload . A CLASSIC !!!!!

  • So sad and beautiful...Chet's guitar sings extraordinaire and Don's voice is a finely tuned instrument. The two of them makes this an unforgettable listening experience.

    Thank you Angel for the share

    and

    Thanks Chuck for this memorable post

  • I didn't know this was the name of this song...Beautiful...Thanks for sharing Angel..5 stars

    Kay...

  • Two legendary figures unite here for a seminal performance.Simply, brilliant!

  • Simply beautiful. What a marvelous collaboration. Thank you Angel for sharing this with me.

    Rey

  • Aahhh.....this is so beautiful by them as a duet!

  • Oh, Angel, This Is Really A Beautiful Song!!! Thankyou soo much for sharing & Thankyou chuck for posting...Anita..

  • A Classic Duet !!!!! Chet & Don doing Vincent !!!!

  • @angelofbebop Thanks for the heads up on this one. It is just beautiful.

    ken

  • You are very welcome. Great music needs to be shared with great friends!

  • Where can I get the tab to this song?

  • Great vocalist/songwriter, fantastic song, accompanied by the greatest guitarist in the universe (god rest his soul). The result is one of the most beautiful and listenable pieces of music ever recorded.

  • i love how chet doesnt steal the show from mclean, which he easily couldve. its like he realizes how beautiful the words/singing are and the fact don wrote the song and gives him respect for. u can see at some point chet isnt payin attention to his playin but the singing

  • @1125112511251125 Yes...good observations!

  • first album i ever bought

  • HA  INCREDIBLE

  • Simply Sublime~

  • you could tell he wasn't paying attention when it was his turn to sing in the beginning he was focused on the guitar

  • Wonderful...I´m crying.

  • I didn't care for this at first, but after a few times listening, it really grew on me. I'm trying to learn the basics of the song. Then I'd like to add some of what Chet does (I wish.)

  • Don McLean definitely brought his "A" game that night. Exquisite is exactly the right word for this. Thanks for posting and most of all, thanks for taping it so many years ago.

  • Exquisite. I love how McLean floats around and above the melody lines he sang in the original, almost in a descant to the original vocal, conscious that Chet Atkins is filling the traditional melody line. Shows an innate understanding of how different musical colours compliment each other and how the final mix of musical colours can change. Got the impression that if asked to play it again the next night it would've been different still. This adds to McLean's original, not try to imitate it.

  • Maybe my favorite song. Don McLean is maybe one of the best songwriters I've ever heard.

  • great shame this collab doesn't really work for me. love the respective versions though

  • Truly the easiest of easy listening

  • I've said it before...but this is probably the best music EVER made by two people....Great Post

  • i'v loved this song for year's , and chet was amazing, as well as don .

    great posting !!

  • tribute to vincent van gogh. How nice...chet and don... my greatest respect to them...

  • No one plays as well as Chet and there are few singer/songwriters as talented as Don McLean but I have to be truthful and say that I think it was too much! Sometimes a simpler arrangement can say more. Either one by themselves would have been great but I think it was a bit overkill. It is still an outstanding moment in music, don't get me wrong. I just think DM doing it as a solo is better. Too many unnecessary filler riffs at times covered the melody vocal line or at least seemed to crowd it.

  • I agree 100%

  • Thats very true. Two lesser talents probably would have blended better. But you have to get things like this on film when you can!

  • Well stated, FiremanOly.

    I just viewed two great performers -- Josh Groban and Christopher Parkening -- do the number. And it comes in third against this second. The best is Don solo, in my view.

  • I completely see what your saying, its almost to complicated for your brain to absorb and actually enjoy. I found that by the third or fourth listening i could actually get into it, but the first few times i felt like my brain was gonna explode.

  • while chet atkins is most certainly a guitar god and only walks among we mere mortals, his playing overly complicated a simple song and takes away from mcleans simple and clean playing, more importantly from the heartfelt and soulful lyrics of this fine song which is its strongest virtue in my opinion.

  • I, so agree, no disrespect to chet atkins, but now and then we are blessed with perfection out of the gate and it just can't get any better than what the original artist can create Don's original is given to us by Grace, one moment in eternity that was his moment to shine as an artist and poet, he did it perfectly, like no other.. thankyou for your insight... I wholeheartedly agree...

  • Comment removed

  • I have been in awe of Chet Atkins since I was 8 yrs old. I come from a family of guitar pickers, and came to appreciate not only good music, but artistic talent. I was just recently introduced to Don McLane's song, "Starry, Starry Night". I was blown away and when I found this video I was very glad. Not only was I blown away, but I learned a new admiration for McLane himself. I guess I've hidden in oldies country/western too long.

  • no one.. past or present.. could touch Chet Atkins on the guitar... this is a beautiful arrangement

  • A big amen to that! Many fine guitarists, but there's only one Mr. Guitar.

    John

  • This has been one of my favorite songs for almost thirty years. I think it is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard!

  • "they're not listening still....perhaps they never will."....A brilliant song about a star that shone so bright in a world full of cynicism and jealousies....these are the bodhisattva's that come back again and again trying to illuminate the path to enlightenment.

  • This moves me too - I agree. Heshi.

  • In reply to bowratigers below..

    Chet played a 55 second introduction before Don started singing, its bound to last longer

    Best ever guitarist with a superb writer