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Suzanne Vega – Luka
Before this song, Suzanne Vega was mostly an unknown singer/songwriter but a cult following and some college radio airplay.
However, in 1987, Vega releases, “Luka”, a song that directs attention to child abuse.
Vega says:
“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.”
She hit the Hot 100 HARD, and “Luka” became her biggest hit to date, peaking at #3 in 1987!
Hear it again, this Sunday on AT40 – The 80s!!
