Luka

Content Warning:
This post contains discussion about child abuse.

A few days ago, when surfing through YouTube video suggestions, I saw a video of a 1994 BBC interview with American singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega (b. 1959). In the video, she speaks of her song, “Tom’s Diner,” a restaurant in New York, New York, USA, where she used to eat breakfast when living and working there. She had envisioned that song as a piece for vocal and piano, but as she didn’t play piano or know anyone who did, she decided to perform and record it a capella.

Then this morning, sitting in the car dealership waiting for the service staff to work on our car, the shop’s public address system mainly played non-descript, forgettable, but some intrusively bland background music. Then, Vega’s single “Luka” played. “Luka” follows the track “Tom’s Diner,” the opener on Vega’s second studio album, Solitude Standing (1987).

Working downtown in the 1980s, a new record release was a great excuse to shop at the record stores on the bus ride home. I remember listening to the album a lot, and I recall how the song was innovative in talking about societal issues at a time when that just wasn’t done.

Nowadays, many people and celebrities are open about being abused or living with mental health issues. Some consider it oversharing, while others find it validating the emotions they’ve suffered in silence throughout their lives. Speaking up normalizes the experiences of the self and others and is a very courageous act I’ve been privileged to witness several times.

“Luka” received massive radio airplay and brought Vega significant commercial success and critical acclaim. She used this platform of fame to tell of her inspiration for the piece: in a documentary for Dutch TV, she said, “I wanted to write about child abuse… I had to think of how to write about a subject that no one talks about.”

Explaining further on a Swedish TV special, Vega said, “A few years ago, I used to see this group of children playing in front of my building, and there was one of them, whose name was Luka, who seemed a little bit distinctive from the other children. I always remembered his name, and I always remembered his face, and I didn’t know much about him, but he just seemed set apart from these other children that I would see playing. And his character is what I based the song Luka on. In the song, the boy Luka is an abused child—in real life I don’t think he was. I think he was just different.”

“My name is Luka
I live on the second floor
I live upstairs from you
Yes, I think you’ve seen me before

If you hear something late at night
Some kind of trouble, some kind of fight
Just don’t ask me what it was
Just don’t ask me what it was
Just don’t ask me what it was

I think it’s ’cause I’m clumsy
I try not to talk too loud
Maybe it’s because I’m crazy
I try not to act too proud

They only hit until you cry
And after that, you don’t ask why
You just don’t argue anymore
You just don’t argue anymore
You just don’t argue anymore

Yes, I think I’m okay
Walked into the door again
Well, if you ask, that’s what I’ll say
And it’s not your business anyway

I guess I’d like to be alone
With nothing broken, nothing thrown
Just don’t ask me how I am
Just don’t ask me how I am
Just don’t ask me how I am

My name is Luka
I live on the second floor
I live upstairs from you
Yes, I think you’ve seen me before

If you hear something late at night
Some kind of trouble, some kind of fight
Just don’t ask me what it was
Just don’t ask me what it was
Just don’t ask me what it was

They only hit until you cry
And after that you don’t ask why
You just don’t argue anymore
You just don’t argue anymore
You just don’t argue anymore”

“Luka,” by Suzanne Vega.
Lyrics retrieved from AZLyrics.com.

I haven’t heard “Luka” for many, many years, but as soon as it played this morning, I recalled the discussions in the 1980s, which, too slowly, have opened up the way for shining a light on society’s dark secrets, leading to protection of victims (though progress on that, too, has been far too slow and really should be more of a priority for governments that seem more motivated to cut taxes, benefitting mostly those who are wealthy).

Now you know a little about why this is my Song of the Day for Today. Thanks for joining me here.

Here is the official music video from the Suzanne Vega YouTube channel. And, a factoid I found in Wikipedia: the Luka character is played by Jason Cerbone, who was later cast in a child’s part in the TV series The Sopranos (1999-2007).

With kind wishes,

Steve

A note to readers: If you or a child you know is experiencing abuse, there are resources to help.

In Canada:

Kids Help Phone: https://kidshelpphone.ca

In the USA:

Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline: https://childhelphotline.org

Elsewhere in the World:

Contact your local family violence prevention organization, shelter or police agency for assistance if you or someone you know is in danger.