Luka Bloom (born 23 May 1955 as Barry Moore) is an accomplished Irish folk-… Read Full Bio ↴Luka Bloom (born 23 May 1955 as Barry Moore) is an accomplished Irish folk-rock singer-songwriter. He is also the younger brother of Irish folk singer Christy Moore.

In order to avoid the pressure of being related to Christy Moore, Bloom adopted his pseudonym. "Luka" is taken from the title of Suzanne Vega's song "Luka" about child abuse and "Bloom" refers to the main character in James Joyce's Ulysses. Bloom is, however, very forthcoming about being Moore's brother and does not hide behind his stage name.

Luka Bloom's style of guitar playing is very distinctive and is generally referred to as "electro-acoustic". In his early career as Barry Moore, Bloom used a fingerpicking style. However, tendonitis in his hands forced him to adopt a strumming style which is the one he still uses and is often credited with his success.

He began his career in the United States playing small clubs in Washington DC and later in New York City. He was a frequent performer in New York's Greenwich Village--at the Lion's Den (a center for American folk music in the early Sixties), and at the Red Lion, where he played with Eileen Ivers backing him on fiddle, during his "Irishman in Chinatown" tour. (Ivers would also appear on the Riverside album.)

He toured America frequently through the Nineties, although his contemporary touring schedules take him mostly to Europe. He remarked during his 2006 US tour that he has grown fond of playing in Eastern Europe, "now that I don't need a work visa."

His early albums showcased his frenetic strumming style, including "Delirious" the debut track on Riverside, and his penchant for thoughtful cover songs, an affinity that he maintains even in more recent work. Released in 2000, Keeper of the Flame was an album of cover versions, featuring renditions of ABBA's Dancing Queen, Bob Marley's Natural Mystic and the Hunters and Collectors' Throw Your Arms Around Me among others. Bloom had previously covered LL Cool J's I Need Love and Elvis Presley's Can't Help Falling In Love on the album The Acoustic Motorbike. Bloom is often heard to remark in concert about Natural Mystic that "...there are considerable similarities between Jamaicans and Irishmen".

Bloom's 2004 acoustic mini-album, Before Sleep Comes, was recorded while Bloom was recovering from tendonitis. Bloom stated the purpose of the album was "to help bring you closer to sleep, our sometimes elusive night-friend."

Bloom released his most recent album Innocence in 2005. Many of the songs feature a new found interest in Eastern European gypsy music and othe World music. In his previous work, he relied on steel-stringed guitars that created his distinctive style. His aubergine and yellow guitars were often introduced by name at gigs. The most recent album features a more classical guitar and the resonant plucking associated with that style of instrument.

City Of Chicago
Luka Bloom Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

In the city of Chicago

As the evening shadows fall

There are people dreaming

Of the hills of Donegal

Eighteen forty seven

Was the year it all began

Deadly pains of hunger

Drove a million from the land

They journeyed not for glory

Their motive wasn't greed

A voyage of survival

Across the stormy sea

To the city of Chicago

As the evening shadows fall

There are people dreaming

Of the hills of Donegal

Some of them knew fortune

Some of them knew fame

More of them knew hardship

They died upon the plain

They spread throughout the nation

They rode the railroad cars

Brought their songs and music

To ease their lonely hearts

To the city of Chicago

As the evening shadows fall

There are people dreaming

Of the hills of Donegal

Eighteen forty seven

Was the year it all began

Deadly pains of hunger

Drove a million from this land

Overall Meaning

Luka Bloom's song "City of Chicago" is a poignant tribute to the Irish immigrants who left their homes in the mid-19th century to flee from the famine that struck Ireland. The song refers to the year 1847 when Ireland experienced the worst hunger crisis in its history, causing an exodus of a million people from the country who were forced to travel across the Atlantic Ocean to America in search of a new life.

The song highlights the immense hardships and struggles that these Irish immigrants faced while moving to Chicago. It speaks of their dreams of returning to the hills of Donegal and the sorrowful reality of their daily lives in the bustling city of Chicago. Despite their longing for home and all that they left behind, these people did not lose hope and kept their culture and traditions alive by bringing their music and songs to the new land.

Through the lyrics of "City of Chicago," Luka Bloom tells the story of a people who, despite facing numerous trials and tribulations, found solace and comfort in their music and their close-knit community. The song is an ode to the resilient spirit of the Irish people and a testament to their perseverance and unwavering courage.

Line by Line Meaning

In the city of Chicago
The song is about the Irish immigration to the United States and how many of them ended up living in the city of Chicago

As the evening shadows fall
The time period seem to be evening or night when the sun has set

There are people dreaming
The Irish immigrants are not only physically present in the city but also envisioning their past lives in Ireland

Of the hills of Donegal
Donegal is a county in northwest Ireland and the Irish immigrants are longing to return to their homeland

Eighteen forty seven
Refers to the year of the Great Famine in Ireland when millions suffered and many died from poverty, hunger and disease

Was the year it all began
The year 1847 marked the start of large-scale Irish immigration to the United States

Deadly pains of hunger
The Irish immigrants were forced to leave their homes due to extreme hunger and poverty

Drove a million from the land
Around one million Irish people emigrated from Ireland in search of a better life and survival

They journeyed not for glory
The Irish immigrants left Ireland not for fame or fortune, but solely for survival

Their motive wasn't greed
The Irish immigrants did not leave their homeland for wealth or selfish reasons, but due to dire circumstances

A voyage of survival
The journey to America was a means of surviving the disastrous conditions in Ireland during the famine

Across the stormy sea
The immigrants had to cross the Atlantic Ocean, which was often tumultuous and dangerous

Some of them knew fortune
Some Irish immigrants were able to find success and wealth in America

Some of them knew fame
A small number of Irish immigrants became famous in America due to their talents or accomplishments

More of them knew hardship
However, most Irish immigrants faced difficulties such as discrimination, poverty, and disease in America

They died upon the plain
Many Irish immigrants died during their journey or soon after arrival due to illness and poor living conditions

They spread throughout the nation
Despite the hardships they faced, Irish immigrants eventually settled all over America

They rode the railroad cars
Irish immigrants traveled by train to various parts of the country, often working on the railroads

Brought their songs and music
Irish immigrants brought their cultural traditions and music to America, which had a lasting impact

To ease their lonely hearts
The Irish immigrants' music helped them stay connected to their homeland and culture and provided solace in a new and sometimes hostile country

Contributed by Hunter B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS