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.
No Surprises
Luka Bloom Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A job that slowly kills you.
Bruises that won't heal.
You look so tired and unhappy.
Bring down the government.
They don't, they don't speak for us.
A handshake some carbon monoxide.
No alarms and no surprises.
No alarms and no surprises.
No alarms and no surprises.
Silent.
Silent.
This is my final fit.
My final bellyache.
No alarms and no surprises.
No alarms and no surprises.
No alarms and no surprises, please.
Such a pretty house.
Such a pretty garden.
No alarms and no surprises.
No alarms and no surprises.
No alarms and no surprises.
Silent.
Silent.
Please.
Luka Bloom's "No Surprises" is a melancholic song about a person who is tired and unhappy with their life. The first few lines are particularly striking; they describe a heart that's overflowing with emotions and pains like a landfill, a job that's slowly killing the singer and bruises that won't go away. The second verse of the song is a call to action, urging people to bring down the government that doesn't speak for them.
The chorus of the song presents a stark contrast to the verses, as the singer declares their desire for a quiet life with no alarms and no surprises. They long for a mundane existence where they can breathe easily with no fears or worries. The last verse reveals that the character has decided to make one final statement before retreating into that quiet life.
Luka Bloom's "No Surprises" is a poignant depiction of the apathy and dissatisfaction of modern life. The song resonates with people who are tired of the constant chaos and noise of the world and long to retreat into a simpler and more peaceful existence.
Line by Line Meaning
A heart that's full up like a landfill.
Feeling overwhelmed and burdened, as if one's heart is as full as a landfill.
A job that slowly kills you.
Being stuck in a job that is emotionally or physically draining and could ultimately lead to one's demise.
Bruises that won't heal.
Emotional or physical wounds that never seem to fully heal, leaving lasting pain and scars.
You look so tired and unhappy.
Observing how worn out and unhappy someone appears.
Bring down the government.
Making a plea for radical change and action, calling for the government to be dismantled.
They don't, they don't speak for us.
Expressing a feeling of disconnection from the government and politicians who do not truly represent the interests of the people.
I'll take a quiet life.
Preferring a peaceful and less stressful life.
A handshake some carbon monoxide.
A sarcastic expression of wanting to avoid grand or dramatic changes in life, suggesting that even death from carbon monoxide poisoning seems preferable to constant stress.
No alarms and no surprises.
Desiring a simple and predictable life free of unexpected events or sudden alarms.
Silent.
Wanting peace and quiet.
This is my final fit.
Implying that the singer has reached the end of their patience and endurance.
My final bellyache.
A metaphor for the last straw, the final problem or issue that causes great frustration or pain.
Such a pretty house.
Sarcastically praising the appearance and superficial beauty of something.
Such a pretty garden.
Sarcastically praising the appearance and superficial beauty of something.
No alarms and no surprises.
Echoing the earlier sentiment of wanting a simple and predictable life.
Silent.
Reiterating the desire for peace and quiet.
Please.
A polite request to have one's desires fulfilled.
Contributed by Cooper T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.