"Luka" is a song recorded by Suzanne Vega and released as a single in 1987. It remains her highest-charting hit in the United States, reaching #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
This song was one of the earliest to deal with child abuse and domestic violence.
One critic said, "the 'happy' music is a metaphorical denial, making this seem beautiful and serene while discussing something terrible and devastating. It is a wonderful use of tune as a metaphor for how many abuse victims also deny their abuse, and is a profound classic" ( wkipédia)
My name is Luka - Je m'appelle Luka
I live on the second floor - J'habite au deuxième étage
I live upstairs from you - Je suis votre voisin du dessus
Yes I think you've seen me before - Oui je pense que vous m'avez déjà vu
If you hear something late at night - Si vous entendez du bruit tard le soir
Some kind of trouble. some kind of fight - Une sorte de désordre, une sorte de dispute
Just don't ask me what it was - Ne me demandez tout simplement pas ce que c'était
Just don't ask me what it was - Ne me demandez tout simplement pas ce que c'était
Just don't ask me what it was - Ne me demandez tout simplement pas ce que c'était
I think it's because I'm clumsy - Je crois que c'est parce que je suis maladroit
I try not to talk too loud - J'essaie de ne pas parler trop fort
Maybe it's because I'm crazy - Peut-être est-ce parce que je suis fou
I try not to act too proud - J'essaye de ne pas être trop arrogant
They only hit until you cry - Ils frappent seulement jusqu'à ce que tu pleures
And after that you don't ask why - Et après ça, tu ne me demandes pas pourquoi
You just don't argue anymore - Tu cesses tout simplement de te disputer
You just don't argue anymore - Tu cesses tout simplement de te disputer
You just don't argue anymore - Tu cesses tout simplement de te disputer
Yes I think I'm okay - Oui je crois que je vais bien
I walked into the door again - Je me suis encore cognée à la porte
Well, if you ask that's what I'll say - Si vous me le demandez, c'est ce que je dirais
And it's not your business anyway - Et ça ne vous regarde pas de toutes façons
I guess I'd like to be alone - Je crois que j'aimerais qu'on me laisse tranquille
With nothing broken, nothing thrown - Sans rien me casser, sans rien me balancer au visage
Just don't ask me how I am - Ne me demandez tout simplement pas comment ça va
Just don't ask me how I am - Ne me demandez tout simplement pas comment ça va
Just don't ask me how I am - Ne me demandez tout simplement pas comment ça va
It was my manager at the time, Ron Fierstein, who plucked ”Luka” out. “Is that song about what I think it’s about?” he asked one day in the back of Folk City. My memory of that conversation goes something like this:
“I don’t know,” I said. “What do you think it’s about?”
“Unless I am mistaken it seems to be from the point of view of a child who is abused.”
“That’s right. A 9-year-old boy named Luka.”
“Where did you get the name from?”
“A 9-year-old boy who lives in my building. Who is not abused, by the way. I like the name Luka, it’s universal. It could be a girl or boy and it could be any nationality.”
“Well, I think that song could be a hit.” he said. Here I hooted at him.
“What are you talking about? Nobody wants to hear about child abuse. Nobody asks for that song. They want ‘Gypsy’ or ‘The Queen and the Soldier.’”
“It’s a song about a social issue. Songs about social issues are important. We don’t have enough of them now. This generation needs to have more.” This was in 1985.
“I didn’t write it to be be about a social issue — I wrote it as a little portrait. I hate songs about social issues. Everybody knows they don’t work.”
“Well, it is still a song about a social issue. It’s the issue of child abuse, you said it yourself. And how can you say they don’t work?
We stopped the Vietnam War with the music we made in the 70’s!” he began to shout, his cheeks flushing pink."
