Don McLean vs. Ellie Goulding | Face Off

In the eighth edition of Face Off (2026), Don McLean and Ellie Goulding face off for the best rendition of “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night).” 

Ah, let the Face Off begin! The sun has set on Head 2 Head (2021 – 2025), but the musical competition has “only just begun”, Karen Carpenter! In Face Off, musicians compete to determine who delivered the best version of a song. In most cases, the musicians are performing the same song or a remix, rearrangement, or variation of the song.  Each performance will be evaluated for vocal or instrumental performance, production, and so on and so forth. After blurbing about each performance, I will briefly deliberate and deliver a verdict about who wins the Face Off.  Draws and ties are acceptable, but in most cases, one band, group, or musician will get the edge. In the eighth edition of Face Off (2026), Don McLean and Ellie Goulding face off for the best rendition of “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)”. May the best musician win!

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Table of Contents
1. Don McLean, “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)”	2. Ellie Goulding, “Vincent”
Deliberation	Verdict

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1. Don McLean, “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)”

American Pie » EMI Catalog / Capitol » 1971

Those are legendary lyrics penned and performed by Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Don McLean (b. 1945). “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)” is the third track from McLean’s beloved 1971 multiplatinum album, American Pie. A hit on the pop charts, it peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Beyond its tenure on the charts, “Vincent” was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America in 2024. McLean penned it while Ed Freeman produced it.

“Vincent” begins with Don McLean singing abruptly (lyrics excerpted earlier). He sings with ease but also showcases ample expressiveness.  The song is characterized by its instantly memorable melodies and poetic, superbly penned lyrics. The lyrics are like a painting…  Notably, the song was written about the renowned Dutch Post-Impressionist painter, Vincent Van Gogh (1853 – 1890). “Starry, starry night / Flaming flowers that brightly blaze,” McLean sings in the second verse, and adds, “Swirling clouds in violet haze / Reflect in Vincent’s eyes of China blue.” In the chorus, McLean references Van Gogh’s mental health issues:

“Now I understand

What you tried to say to me

And how you suffered for your sanity

And how you tried to set them free

They would not listen; they did not know how

Perhaps they’ll listen now.”

In the bridge, McLean acknowledges Van Gogh’s demise: “On that starry, starry night / You took your life, as lovers often do /…This world was never meant for one / As beautiful as you.” Beyond the high-flying penmanship, the musicianship, instrumentally, is striking. McLean’s guitar is the primary instrument within the accompaniment. Beyond the guitar, the instrumentation includes marimba, performed by Mike Mainieri (b. 1938), and strings. Adding to the musicianship are the musical underpinnings, specifically a fine harmonic progression. All told, “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)” is an impressive, once-in-a-lifetime classic by Don McLean.  He truly put his foot into this biographical ballad.

Appears in:

Don McLean, Vincent (Starry, Starry Night): Throwback Vibez No. 5 (2026) A Vivid Collection of V Songs (2026)

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2. Ellie Goulding, “Vincent”

“Vincent” » Polydor Ltd. (UK) » 2018

Back on Valentine’s Day 2018, English pop singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding (b. 1986) released a brand-new single. Well, rather, she released a brand-new cover because the song itself wasn’t brand-new. “Vincent” is a cover of the 1971 Don McLean classic, “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)”, from his album American Pie. McLean penned this unique record.  Goulding produced her rendition of the unforgettable soundtrack of the artist, Vincent Van Gogh (1853 – 1890), herself.

“Vincent,” a truly beautiful song, is tough to successfully perform.  Why? This singer-songwriter’s song requires subtlety, non troppo, not doing too much. Simplicity is the name of the game. At the same time, performing it too subtly can make it sleepy – a bore.  Don McLean penned a classic, but it takes the right performer to sell it. Goulding does a marvelous job with this ballad.  Accompanied by an acoustic guitar, played by Goulding herself, it retains the original simplicity. She has a beautiful, distinct voice, which gives her a leg up in delivering a compelling performance.  She navigates the nuances like a pro.  Goulding never grows particularly rousing in her cover; I’m not sold on the fact that there is that ‘big-time moment’ per se. But Don McLean doesn’t overcomplicate or overdo things either. All told, Ellie Goulding delivers an intimate, sophisticated, and highly respectable performance of “Vincent”.

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Deliberation

Ah, we’ve arrived at the deliberation! To Deliberate is “to think about or discuss issues and decisions carefully.” With that definition courtesy of my go-to, Merriam-Webster, briefly break down these two distinct performances with some notes!

1. Don McLean, “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)”

2. Ellie Goulding, “Vincent”

Don McLean composed “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night),” a biographical ballad about Dutch Post-Impressionist painter, Vincent Van Gogh (1853 – 1890). A pop hit, it peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, earning McLean his third highest-charting single. On Spotify, “Vincent” has been played more than 273.4 million times. The single was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. It appeared on an iconic, multi-platinum album (American Pie). The musical accompaniment consists of guitar, marimba, and strings. The song is characterized by memorable melodies and poetic, superbly penned lyrics. The lyrics are like a painting… McLean sings with ease but also showcases ample expressiveness.

Goulding is tasked with covering a platinum pop hit that was written and performed by Don McLean. Goulding’s cover didn’t chart on the pop charts.  However, it’s 57.2-plus million plays on Spotify are impressive. Goulding produced her cover, which she accompanies herself on acoustic guitar. She has a beautiful, and distinct voice, and delivers an intimate, nuanced, sophisticated, and high-level performance. She never has a ‘big moment’ necessarily, but simplicity within her take on “Vincent” feels fine.

 

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Verdict

After much deliberation, yo boi, The Musical Hype, has reached a verdict. In the case… I mean, in the Face Off between Don McLean and Ellie Goulding, Don McLean comes out on top! It was the only result! What was the difference? Mr. McLean is a legend, and he earned his fair share of accolades with “Vincent.” First and foremost, the songwriting is sublime, and he was the composer.  Additionally, this creative and thoughtfully penned juggernaut was a platinum pop hit back in the 1970s. Ellie Goulding did a fabulous job, but it’s a lot to ask even such a talented singer to beat McLean’s timeless original. And with that said, stay tuned for the next Face Off!

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Don McLean vs. Ellie Goulding: Face Off No. 8 (2026) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Capitol, EMI Catalog, Polydor Ltd. (UK); fotografoedsonj ed, Marlon Schmeiski from Pexels; Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Gordon Johnson from Pixabay]

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