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.
Sound
Luka Bloom Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Drive into a good New Year feeling
It doesn't need to mean a thing
When you sing, when you sing
Put a foot upon a spade
Spade into the ground
Follow the trail of worms
Wait until the words come down
Sound
Sing your day away
Sing your day away and dream away
Sing your day away
Sing your day away and dream away
Walking through the winter trees
Naked branches in the loss of leaves
Naked in the wind and rain
No escaping winter's waiting game
Put a foot upon a spade
Spade into the ground
Follow the trail of worms
Until the rhythm's found
Wait until the words come down
Sound
Sing your day away
Sing your day away and dream away
Sing your day away
Sing your day away and dream away
Dream away...
The lyrics to Luka Bloom's song Sound contain a contemplative reflection on the nature of life and the passage of time. The song begins with a description of driving into a "grey, grey evening" and finding a "good New Year feeling," which suggests a sense of optimism and resolution despite the bleakness of the surrounding environment. This is underscored by the repetition of the phrase "when you sing, when you sing," which implies that music can be a source of comfort and hope.
The second verse shifts to a more somber tone, with the singer walking through the winter trees and observing the loss of leaves and the impact of the wind and rain. Here, the lyrics suggest a sense of vulnerability and powerlessness in the face of the changing seasons, a reminder that life is inherently impermanent and subject to natural rhythms beyond our control. However, the chorus offers a counterpoint to this melancholy mood, urging the listener to "sing your day away and dream away." In this way, the song suggests that music can serve as a powerful tool for transcending the limitations of our physical reality and finding moments of joy and beauty in the face of adversity.
Overall, the lyrics to Luka Bloom's Sound offer a nuanced meditation on the relationship between music, nature, and the human experience. By drawing attention to the cyclical nature of life and the transformative power of song, Bloom encourages the listener to embrace their own creativity and find meaning in the midst of uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
Driving into a grey, grey evening
He is driving on a gloomy evening.
Drive into a good New Year feeling
Despite the grey evening, he is driving with a positive outlook for the upcoming New Year.
It doesn't need to mean a thing
The drive doesn't have to hold any significance, it can just simply be a drive.
When you sing, when you sing
But singing can make the drive more enjoyable and fulfilling.
Put a foot upon a spade
He wants us to start with a simple action, like stepping on a spade.
Spade into the ground
Digging deeper and taking action, even if it's small, is important.
Follow the trail of worms
We should follow our instincts and natural path, like worms follow their instinctual trail.
Until the rhythm's found
We need to keep following our path until we find our rhythm and purpose.
Wait until the words come down
We need to wait until we find the right words to express ourselves.
Sound
When we find our rhythm and the right words, we will make beautiful sound.
Sing your day away
He encourages us to sing and express ourselves to make the day more fulfilling.
Sing your day away and dream away
Through singing and dreaming, we can make our day better and more meaningful.
Walking through the winter trees
He is walking through trees without leaves, in the midst of winter.
Naked branches in the loss of leaves
The branches lost their leaves, and are now exposed and 'naked.'
Naked in the wind and rain
The branches are vulnerable to the elements without their leaves.
No escaping winter's waiting game
Winter comes every year, and we can't escape waiting for it to end.
Dream away...
He ends the song by encouraging us to continue dreaming, even in tough times.
Contributed by Liam A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.