Luka Luka - Suzanne Vega
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 because 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
I 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
The song "Luka" is written from the point-of-view of an abused child
and tells his story in a subtle and psychologically realistic way, only
hinting at the horrible secret of his life. Some people have also read
it to be a song about an abused woman, and although this was not
what Suzanne thought of when she wrote the song, it is certainly also
a valid interpretation. The name "Luka" is indeed taken from a real
person with that name, whose outer character Suzanne borrowed.
There is, however, no reason to believe that Luka was an abused
child in real life. This is what Suzanne said in a Swedish television
special recorded 3 November 1987: "A few years ago, I used to see
this group of children playing in from 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 -- I real life I don't think
he was. I think he was just different."
