Luka (song)

1987 single by Suzanne Vega

"Luka"

North American, French and Japanese picture sleeve

Single by Suzanne Vega
from the album  Solitude Standing
B-side| "Night Vision"
Released| May 21, 1987 (1987-05-21)[1]
Genre|

* Folk rock[2]
* pop rock[3]

Length| 3:48
Label| A&M
Songwriter(s)| Suzanne Vega
Producer(s)|

* Steve Addabbo
* Lenny Kaye

Suzanne Vega singles chronology
| "Gypsy"
(1986)  | "Luka"
(1987)  | "Tom's Diner"
(1987)

|
|

Music video
"Luka" on YouTube

"Luka" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega, released as the second single from her second studio album, Solitude Standing (1987), in May 1987.[4] It remains her highest-charting hit in the United States, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Worldwide, the song charted the highest in Israel, peaking at No. 1, and reached the top 10 in Austria, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and Sweden. Shawn Colvin sings background vocals on the record.[5]

"Luka" earned Vega nominations at the 1988 Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Vega also recorded a Spanish-language version of the song, included on the single release.

## Subject

[edit]

The song deals with the issue of child abuse. On a 1987 Swedish television special, Vega revealed her inspiration for Luka:

> 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.[6]

In a Dutch video documentary by "Top 2000 à gogo" in December 2018, Vega spoke about the meaning of the song:

> I wanted to write about child abuse… I had to think of how to write about a subject that no-one talks about.[7]

In 2021, she revealed that the song dealt with the emotional and physical abuse she had suffered from her stepfather Ed Vega.

> “There was abuse in my family... I am actually Luka.”[8]

In 2023, she similarly told German radio Station Bayern 2 the song is about her own experience with physical abuse:

> I chose Luka as a name and as a character because I didn't want people to know that it was me.[9]

## Music video

[edit]

The accompanying music video for "Luka" was directed by Michael Patterson and Candice Reckinge. It was shot over three days in New York City. The part of Luka was played by actor Jason Cerbone (who years later played Jackie Aprile Jr. on the series The Sopranos), who was chosen after the directors auditioned more than 90 children for the part.[10]

## Charts

[edit]

### Weekly charts

[edit]

| Chart (1987)  | Peak
position

|

Australia (Kent Music Report)[11] | 21
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[12] | 9
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[13] | 33
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[14] | 5
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[15] | 65
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[16] | 21
France (SNEP)[17] | 24
Ireland (IRMA)[18] | 11
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[19] | 26
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[20] | 40
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[21] | 8
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[22] | 3
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[23] | 2
UK Singles (OCC)[24] | 23
US Billboard Hot 100[25] | 3
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[26] | 3
US Hot Latin Songs (Billboard)[27] | 48
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[28] | 15
US Cash Box Top 100[29] | 4
Chart (2016–2020)  | Peak
position

|

Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[30] | 97
Slovenia (SloTop50)[31] | 49
Chart (2025)  | Peak
position

|

Israel International Airplay (Media Forest)[32] | 17

### Year-end charts

[edit]

| Chart (1987)  | Position

|

Canada Top Singles (RPM)[33] | 31
US Billboard Hot 100[34] | 52

## Follow-up

[edit]

During a 2012 episode of BBC Radio 4's Mastertapes, Vega revealed that she had written a follow-up to "Luka", from the point of view of the character as he looked back on his life.[35] The song, titled "Song of the Stoic", later appeared on her eighth studio album Tales from the Realm of the Queen of Pentacles (2014).

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "How I wrote 'Luka' by Suzanne Vega". Songwriting. September 21, 2017. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
2. ^ Browne, David (June 18, 1987). "Suzanne Vega: Solitude Standing : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. No. 502\. Archived from the original on June 26, 2007. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
3. ^ Segretto, Mike (2022). "1990". 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Minute - A Critical Trip Through the Rock LP Era, 1955–1999. Backbeat. p. 499\. ISBN 9781493064601.
4. ^ Slater, Aaron (September 21, 2017). "How I wrote 'Luka' by Suzanne Vega". Songwriting Magazine. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
5. ^ Woodstra, Chris Shawn Colvin Biography All Music, retrieved May 25, 2012
6. ^ "Luka by Suzanne Vega Songfacts". Retrieved August 22, 2008.
7. ^ "Suzanne Vega – Luka - The story behind the song – Top 2000 à gogo". YouTube. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
8. ^ "Suzanne Vega takes her ‘New York Songs and Stories’ on the road", NJArts.net, August 25, 2021. https://www.njarts.net/suzanne-vega-takes-her-new-york-songs-and-stories-on-the-road/
9. ^ Rundfunk, Bayerischer (September 1, 2023). "Live-Konzert: Suzanne Vega beim Hafensommer Würzburg" (in German). `{{cite journal}}`: Cite journal requires `|journal=` (help)
10. ^ Flaherty, Mike (May 29, 2001). "Meet Jason Cerbone, The Sopranos unwise guy". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
11. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 329\. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid 1983 and June 19, 1988.
12. ^ "Suzanne Vega – Luka" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
13. ^ "Suzanne Vega – Luka" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
14. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0869." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
15. ^ "European Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 26\. July 4, 1987. p. 15. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
16. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Suzanne Vega". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 273. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
17. ^ "Suzanne Vega – Luka" (in French). Le classement de singles.
18. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Luka". Irish Singles Chart.
19. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 27, 1987" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
20. ^ "Suzanne Vega – Luka" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
21. ^ "Suzanne Vega – Luka". Top 40 Singles.
22. ^ "SA Charts 1965 - 1989 Songs J-L". South African Rock Lists. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
23. ^ "Suzanne Vega – Luka". Singles Top 100.
24. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
25. ^ "Suzanne Vega Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
26. ^ "Suzanne Vega Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
27. ^ "Suzanne Vega Chart History (Hot Latin Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
28. ^ "Suzanne Vega Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
29. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2014). Cash Box Pop Hits 1952-1996. Sheridan Books, Inc. ISBN 978-0-89820-209-0.
30. ^ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
31. ^ "SloTop50 – Slovenian official singles chart". slotop50.si. Archived from the original on July 14, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
32. ^ "מדיה פורסט – המצעד הבינלאומי השבועי – Week 24 – 08/06 – 14/06/2025" [Media Forest – International Weekly Chart – Week 24 – 08/06 – 14/06/2025] (Select the year 2025 and the option "24 08-06-25 14-06-25" from the stretched lists, then click "שירים מובילים - רדיו - בינלאומי" to see the chart.) (in Hebrew). Media Forest. June 15, 2025. Retrieved June 15, 2025.
33. ^ "Top 100 Singles of '87". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
34. ^ "1987 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 99, no. 52\. December 26, 1987.
35. ^ "Mastertapes - Suzanne Vega (the B-Side)". BBC Radio 4. November 12, 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2017.

## External links

[edit]

* Suzanne Vega – Luka | The story behind the song | Top 2000 a gogo on YouTube
* Luka at Discogs (list of releases)

* v
* t
* e

Suzanne Vega

Studio albums|

* Suzanne Vega
* Solitude Standing
* Days of Open Hand
* 99.9F°
* Nine Objects of Desire
* Songs in Red and Gray
* Beauty & Crime
* Tales from the Realm of the Queen of Pentacles
* Lover, Beloved: Songs from an Evening with Carson McCullers
* Flying with Angels

Acoustic albums|

* Close-Up Vol. 1, Love Songs
* Close-Up Vol. 2, People & Places
* Close-Up Vol. 3, States of Being
* Close-Up Vol. 4, Songs of Family
* Close-Up Series (box set)

Live albums|

* Live in London 1986
* Solitude Standing: Live at the Barbican
* Live at the Speakeasy
* Sessions at West 54th
* An Evening of New York Songs and Stories

Compilations|

* Tried & True
* Retrospective

Singles|

* "Marlene on the Wall"
* "Left of Center"
* "Luka"
* "Tom's Diner"
* "Solitude Standing"
* "Blood Makes Noise"
* "Caramel"
* "No Cheap Thrill"
* "Book & a Cover"

Related articles|

* Discography
* Tim Vega
* Mitchell Froom

* v
* t
* e

Kasey Chambers

* Discography
* Awards and nominations

Studio albums|

* The Captain
* Barricades & Brickwalls
* Wayward Angel
* Carnival
* Rattlin' Bones
* Kasey Chambers, Poppa Bill and the Little Hillbillies
* Little Bird
* Storybook
* Wreck & Ruin
* Bittersweet
* Dragonfly
* Campfire
* Backbone

Extended plays|

* Ain't No Little Girl

Singles|

* "The Captain
* "Not Pretty Enough"
* "Million Tears"
* "If I Were You"
* "True Colours"
* "Hollywood"
* "Pony"
* "Nothing at All"
* "Rattlin' Bones"
* "Luka"
* "Adam & Eve"

Related articles|

* Shane Nicholson
* Dead Ringer Band

Category

* v
* t
* e

MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video

1980s|

* "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" – Cyndi Lauper (1984)
* "What's Love Got to Do with It" – Tina Turner (1985)
* "How Will I Know" – Whitney Houston (1986)
* "Papa Don't Preach" – Madonna (1987)
* "Luka" – Suzanne Vega (1988)
* "Straight Up" – Paula Abdul (1989)

1990s|

* "Nothing Compares 2 U" – Sinéad O'Connor (1990)
* "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" – Janet Jackson (1991)
* "Why" – Annie Lennox (1992)
* "Constant Craving" – k.d. lang (1993)
* "If" – Janet Jackson (1994)
* "Take a Bow" – Madonna (1995)
* "Ironic" – Alanis Morissette (1996)
* "You Were Meant for Me" – Jewel (1997)
* "Ray of Light" – Madonna (1998)
* "Doo Wop (That Thing)" – Lauryn Hill (1999)

2000s|

* "Try Again" – Aaliyah (2000)
* "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" – Eve featuring Gwen Stefani (2001)
* "Get the Party Started" – Pink (2002)
* "Crazy in Love" – Beyoncé (2003)
* "Naughty Girl" – Beyoncé (2004)
* "Since U Been Gone" – Kelly Clarkson (2005)
* "Because of You" – Kelly Clarkson (2006)
* "Piece of Me" – Britney Spears (2008)
* "You Belong with Me" – Taylor Swift (2009)

2010s|

* "Bad Romance" – Lady Gaga (2010)
* "Born This Way" – Lady Gaga (2011)
* "Starships" – Nicki Minaj (2012)
* "I Knew You Were Trouble" – Taylor Swift (2013)
* "Dark Horse" – Katy Perry (2014)
* "Blank Space" – Taylor Swift (2015)
* "Hold Up" – Beyoncé (2016)

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz work
* MusicBrainz release group

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