| Luka | |
| Cover: | Suzanne-Vega-Luka-242584-1-.jpg |
| Border: | yes |
| Caption: | North American, French and Japanese picture sleeve |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Suzanne Vega |
| Album: | Solitude Standing |
| B-Side: | "Night Vision" |
| Released: | [1] |
| Genre: | |
| Length: | 3:48 |
| Label: | A&M |
| Producer: | |
| Prev Title: | Gypsy |
| Prev Year: | 1986 |
| Next Title: | Tom's Diner |
| Next Year: | 1987 |
"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. It remains her highest-charting hit in the United States, reaching 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.[4]
"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.
The song deals with the issue of child abuse. On a 1987 Swedish television special, Vega revealed her inspiration for Luka:In a Dutch video documentary by "Top 2000 à gogo" in December 2018, Vega spoke about the meaning of the song:
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.”[5]
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.[6]
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.[7]
| width=250px | Chart (1987) | Peak position |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[8] | 21 | |
| Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[9] | 65 | |
| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[10] | 21 | |
| South Africa (Springbok Radio)[11] | 3 | |
| US Cash Box Top 100[12] | 4 |
| width=250px | Chart (2016–2020) | Peak position |
|---|---|---|
| Slovenia (SloTop50)[13] | 49 |
| Chart (1987) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[14] | 31 | |
| US Billboard Hot 100[15] | 52 |
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.[16] The song, titled "Song of the Stoic", later appeared on her eighth studio album Tales from the Realm of the Queen of Pentacles (2014).
