D                         Em
Starry starry night, paint your palette blue and gray,
              G
look out on a summer's day
     A                                 D
with eyes that know the darkness in my soul.
 
[Verse 2] 
               D                               Em
Shadows on the hills, sketch the trees and the daffodils,
                         G
catch the breeze and the winter chills
   A                         D
in colors on the snowy linen land.  

[Chorus]
            Em   A                   D
Now I understand   what you tried to say to me,
                          G        A
how you suffered for your sanity,
                          Bm
how you tried to set them free.  
                               Em            A
They would not listen they did not know how.
                       D
perhaps they'll listen now . 
 
[Verse 3] 
              D                           Em
Starry starry night, flaming flowers that brightly blaze,
                   G
swirling clouds in violet haze
  A                                D
reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue.

[Verse 4]
                D                      Em
Colors changing hue, morning fields of amber grain,
                G
weathered faces lined in pain
    A                                   D
are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand. 
 
[Chorus]
            Em   A                   D
Now I understand   what you tried to say to me,
                          G        A
how you suffered for your sanity,
                          Bm
how you tried to set them free.  
                               Em            A
They would not listen they did not know how.
                       D
perhaps they'll listen now. 

[Bridge]
                   Em        A                          D    A Bm
For they could not love you,    but still your love was true,
            G                            A#
and when no hope was left inside on that starry starry night  
              D                   B7
you took your life as lovers often do,
                 Em
but I could have told you Vincent,
     A                                A7           D    G D
this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you.  

[Verse 5]
              D                        Em
Starry starry night, portraits hung in empty halls,
                   G
frameless heads on nameless walls
     A                                   D
with eyes that watch the world and can't forget.

[Verse 6]
                               D                      Em
Like the strangers that you've met, the ragged men in ragged clothes,
                    G
the silver thorn of bloody rose
    A                                D
lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow.  
 
[Outro]
              Em   A                    D
Now I think I know    what you tried to say to me,
                          Em      A                           Bm
how you suffered for your sanity,   how you tried to set them free.
                                           G         A              D
They did not listen, they're not listening still, perhaps they never will.