DON MCLEAN - EMPTY CHAIRS - REACTION VIDEO!

[@777colin1]

Lori Lieberman a singer/songwriter attended a concert by Don Mclean at the LA Troubadour in late 1971. This song had such a impact on her, that she returned to her song writers, Norman Gimbel and Charles Fox. Lori relayed her feelings to them and together they wrote 'Killing Me Softly With His Song'. Lori released it but it failed to chart. Then Roberta Flack heard it on a plane journey and subsequently recorded it and she won the Grammy of 1974 for Record of the Year.

[@franktaylor2401]

Heartfelt torture from another beautiful soul. Written and sung by a true poet. Thank you Dani.

[@randilevson9547]

I am hysterically crying right now. Yes, the pain does scream through Don's words. This song resonates with me so profoundly and so deeply. I have lost the love of my life, and I am still struggling. I can't even express how much this song just wrings the emotion right out of me.

[@johnmccarthy568]

another great song by don, vincent is still his best,if youve not heard it dani its beautiful. great reaction

[@miltonslocum8957]

What a beautiful poetic song. Really enjoyed it as well as your comments. Thanks Dani!

[@sterrettcollins7332]

Lori Lieberman attended his concert and it inspired her son “Killing Me Softly with His Song,” which was later covered by Roberta Flack.

[@garymaidman625]

I love Lori Liebermann's version of the song.

[@Cashcrop54]

Don is a great songwriter and musician. He seems to have really experienced these emotions he speaks but most of us probably have. Great reaction Dani!

[@JamesDayAndrew2017]

Dani, beautifully sad song. Most of the best songs out there express real life pain because they share what we all feel from time to time. Thank you for sharing. One a bright note, Dani, you are so beautiful in your glasses and pink sweater. You are awesome!

[@lifelover515]

For some the 70s was the age of disco and punk, but my 70s was the era of the singer-songwriter, What a lyricist he was, right up there with the best, though not as prolific as some, Did you know the Roberta Flack hit 'Killing me Softly with his Song' was inspired by a concert by him? Another less-touted personal favourite is 'Till Tomorrow' from the 'American Pie' album. Nice one again, Miss Dani. Keep 'em coming, babe.

[@thomastimlin1724]

Nailed that! The singer / songwriters trying to be heard about the trivial noise of Disco Punk and Metal sensationalism.

[@garymaidman625]

Indeed, Lori Liebermann first recorded Killing Me Softly and wrote the lyrics after seeing this song performed live. Lori Liebermann's version is just as good as Roberta Flack's.

[@ptournas]

Your set and you look lovely in pink! Nice reaction. While you're on the Don McClean voyage you really should react to Vincent, one of his biggest hits and a touching tribute to Vincent Van Gogh.

[@allisterfiend_2112]

Someone might have mentioned this already, but this is the song the inspired another song called 'Killing Me Softly With His Song', which became popular once Roberta Flack covered it.

[@garymaidman625]

The original version was recorded by Lori Liebermann, whose version is just as good as Roberta Flack's, although sadly not as popular.

[@googogler]

all looking lovely, except for the glasses. i think a small pink monocle studded with jewels would be the cherry on top- steampunk dani! 😀🙃🙀

[@MysticLeviathan]

You gotta listen to Crossroads by Don McLean, the album version. Another beautiful love song by him.

[@randilevson9547]

Yes, absolutely. Another heartbreaking song from Don McLean about the loss of love, and how profound and painful that can be. This song is also full of echoes of loneliness and longing for someone who is no longer there. This song grabs me from the first line, and the emotional journey of the crossroads is almost too painful to endure. I can never listen without ending up dissolved in tears.

[@maxfergusson3495]

hello dani, love QLD Australia thank you so very much,, Don has a way of waking up our inner self and mind about what we should have done and thought, instead of accepting pain and moving on!!

[@BAW12547]

@daniatkinson Just some background on this song Don McLean went through some rough times, which are reflected on his American Pie album. His father died when he was just 15, and his marriage was on the rocks when he recorded the album. Faced with a bout of depression, he sympathized with Vincent Van Gogh, the Dutch painter who went insane and cut off his ear. Speaking with the UK newspaper The Telegraph, he revealed that in this song about a man who loses a love, the empty chairs are Van Gogh's paintings of a chair.

[@briankettleson290]

Anyone who has lost anyone will understand how the memories can haunt a house.

[@philcawser]

The album version is perfection; yet Don sang this completely differently here and still made it magnificent.

[@ronlittle578]

I've always said that Don McLean's song are poetry to music, so your comment saying the same really resonated. His music is so moving. Listen to "Winter Has Me in It's Grip". It was covered by Johnny Cash. Also, "And I Love You So", covered by Perry Como. The man is an artistic genuis.

[@mikewarker4445]

Another great sad song by Don Mcclean The Grave, and also Vincent. His songs hit you in your soul

[@agenolmedina9159]

listening to Empty Chairs... what a way to start the year!!! :)

[@cspringer333]

Musicians change their songs a bit in live performances but I don't know if I've ever seen someone dance around the notes as much as Mclean.

[@thomastimlin1724]

True.

[@nancyrickabus1017]

My wife Nancy died a few days ago with dementia and until she did I always thought I'd die first. But she told me for two years I'd have to learn to live without her. I cannot sing this song at the karaoke pub without bursting into tears. So I don't and as much as I don't like to cry I don't want my feelings to ever change. I sing it w/my piano and Nancy's spirit.

[@chrishodgson6302]

Good song to react to. Keep up the good work. It’s enjoyable to share this great music on a different level.

[@1234larry1]

He's being vulnerable in revealing that he knows he was insensitive to her needs and didn't realize it until it was too late. Like most men, he probably just went from day to day, not realizing anything was wrong.

[@coolguy54life99]

My heart broke that day and never stopped.

[@coolguy54life99]

This song still makes me weep, been nine years since she left.

[@frankbolger3969]

Great as the song American Pie is, this was always my favorite of his.

[@debraandreason6865]

So glad you did this Don McLean song. 💙 Love what you said about it, your comments about the pain and how beautifully it is written and sung. I knew you would love it. I know you probably have a lot of other artists you want to react to but, just in case you haven’t done Vincent by Don McLean, you need to! If you want to see a live version so you can watch him perform then please look up Don McLean Vincent live at the BBC in 1972. That’ll take you right to it. 😊

[@andyschnell58]

I was not familiar with this song although I may have heard it back when it was first released. Dani another great reaction and you brought up a point of how artists view other artists music. I think as an artist yourself, you hear and feel another artists song at a different level than a casual music listener like myself.

[@charlesbunch8383]

Great song! I'm not familiar with Don McLean's work beyond American Pie and Vincent, so thanks for bringing this to us! He's a unique artist with a distinct style.

[@jamespasifull]

This song fits perfectly, the end of my marriage, over 30 years ago. Since then, both my daughters have followed their mother's lead. I hope my son never makes it a 'full-set'

[@javieresp3556]

beautiful song beautiful girl

[@jmrx12]

Please react to "Vincent" by Don Mclean- it is about the tragic life of artist Vincent Van Gogh.

[@jessieball6195]

Please do the studio version of Mclean's "Vincent" (not the live versions), I guarantee you will absolutely LOVE it! The song is about the famous artist Vincent Van Gogh.

[@bpeters7854]

Don said in an interview that this song occured at the same time as he was going througha divorce and he was actually quite depressed. The song is his expression of his pain. Kevan

[@royhenry8502]

Dani, would love you to review Dan Fogelberg singing “Hard To Say”. Thank you

[@MarcosCrorigues]

Hi Dani, could you do the song's reaction: Perhaps Love - Placido Domingo.

[@briankettleson290]

Dani I understand that watching the video is important. But sometimes something is lost in watching a video. Some songs are best listened to with your eyes closed. The pictures an artist paints with the poetry of a song are amazing. We listened to records and didn't have videos when I was younger. Put some music on, light a candle, and close your eyes.

[@cst2437]

Could you please react to The ballad of love and hate by the avett brothers? Such a beautiful song and amazing storytelling

[@thomastimlin1724]

Another song I cannot get through anymore. I lost my only sibling in July 2020, my younger brother...his name was similar to yours: Dan. The circus is no good anymore without the other clown. Many who lose their family member would feel the same way about these kinds of songs now. It can be about lost love, or about loss from death. I am the last one left of our original 4 member family. Had the album originally in 1972, when it struck me because my mother had lost her older brother just then, a famous California sportscaster, Lyle Bond. this song sounds so similar to Vincent, same exact chord progressions, melody twisted around but generally the same melodic idea. Listen to both of them and you'll hear how McClean basically copied himself. The album version is much better. Strings added etc. He seems to rush through it here. Album version: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKXVepZuq9Zqrbc

[@garysteinert8040]

I did a search, you need to do The Band with The Staple singers. The Weight.

[@pulsarlights2825]

Is this song about a break up or a death? I get the vibe she died.....it also sounds a little like his other song "Vincent".

[@eddiegenita7179]

the song is about is his ex wife who would leave her clothes on chairs. when she left, the chairs are empty.

[@1lthrnk]

Listen to trace Adkins “Empty Chair”

[@Pugiron]

Never react to tthe live version of a song first, learn the song from the album version and them see the different flair put on each live performance.

[@iyot1020]

This is his version. Of black by pearl jam

[@Dooguk]

Empty Chairs was released 20 years earlier in 1971. So you are wrong.

[@iyot1020]

@@Dooguk i did not mean that black came before this song m0r0n i fucking know that

[@Dooguk]

@@iyot1020 What you should have written was something along the lines of, Pearl Jam has a song like this called Black. Or, Pearl Jam's song Black has a similar theme to this. Also, when writing the way you do, you really shouldn't be calling anyone else stupid.

[@iyot1020]

@@Dooguk how about you stfu and use common sense

[@tonitessarolo1060]

I’m having Elvis withdrawals….two weeks without a reaction😞

[@DaniAtkinson]

I know!! I explain why in the video coming up today! Tomorrow, we will celebrate Elvis’ birthday on my channel!

[@carlgarnett8817]

Yes hello it's me again hey there Carl Supertramp Garnett yes. I like that song I like kannada hit songs if you find anymore put them on a game from Canada Toronto Scarborough Ontario Carl Supertramp Garnett God bless you and your family

[@vivaldihk]

No one writes lyrics like this these days