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.
Sunday
Luka Bloom Lyrics
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I can't believe the news today
Oh, I can't close my eyes
And make it go away
How long?
How long must we sing this song?
How long, how long?
Tonight
Broken bottles under children's feet
Bodies strewn across the dead end street
But I won't heed the battle call
It puts my back up
Puts my back up against the wall
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
Sunday, Bloody Sunday, Sunday, Bloody Sunday (alright)
And the battle's just begun
There's many lost, but tell me who has won
The trench is dug within our hearts
And mothers, children, brothers, sisters torn apart
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
How long?
How long must we sing this song?
How long, how long?
'Cause tonight, we can be as one
Tonight, tonight
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
(Tonight, tonight) Sunday, Bloody Sunday (let's go)
Wipe the tears from your eyes
Wipe your tears away
Oh, wipe your tears away
I'll, wipe your tears away (Sunday, Bloody Sunday)
I'll, wipe your blood shot eyes (Sunday, Bloody Sunday)
Sunday, Bloody Sunday (Sunday, Bloody Sunday)
Sunday, Bloody Sunday (Sunday, Bloody Sunday)
And it's true we are immune
When fact is fiction and TV reality
And today the millions cry
We eat and drink while tomorrow they die
(Sunday, Bloody Sunday) the real battle just begun
(Sunday, Bloody Sunday) to claim the victory Jesus won
On
Sunday Bloody Sunday, yeah
Sunday Bloody Sunday
The song "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" by Luka Bloom talks about the violence and chaos that erupted in Northern Ireland. The first stanza is a representation of the shock and despair that the people felt after the news of the conflict reached them. The line "I can't believe the news today" personifies the disbelief and horror felt by the Irish community upon hearing news of yet another violent attack. The question "How long must we sing this song?" is a reflection of the pessimism felt by many Irish people regarding the conflict. They were tired of the violence and death that had become an all-too-common occurrence.
In the second stanza, the violence and bloodshed on the streets are described. The line "Broken bottles under children's feet" symbolizes the shattered lives of the innocent who had become victims of the conflict. The phrase "Bodies strewn across the dead-end street" adds to the sense of chaos and destruction. However, despite the vivid description of the violence, the singer refuses to take sides. Instead, he highlights the futility of the conflict and the suffering it causes.
The chorus "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" is a reference to the events that occurred on January 30, 1972, in Derry, Northern Ireland, known as "Bloody Sunday." On that day, British soldiers shot and killed 26 unarmed civilians during a protest march. The line "How long, how long, must we sing this song?" is a plea for peace and an end to the conflict in Northern Ireland. It is a challenge to both sides to come together and find a way to end the violence.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't believe the news today
I'm having a hard time accepting today's news
Oh, I can't close my eyes
I can't simply ignore what's happening
And make it go away
I can't make it disappear
How long?
How much longer?
How long must we sing this song?
When will the suffering end?
How long, how long?
When will it stop?
'Cause tonight, we can be as one
But for now, we can come together
Broken bottles under children's feet
Innocent lives being destroyed
Bodies strewn across the dead end street
People are dying and being left in the streets.
But I won't heed the battle call
I won't participate in the violence
It puts my back up
It makes me uncomfortable
Puts my back up against the wall
I feel trapped
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
Referencing the Bloody Sunday event in Northern Ireland
And the battle's just begun
The conflict is ongoing
There's many lost, but tell me who has won
People are dying, but what have we gained?
The trench is dug within our hearts
There's a deep emotional pain from the conflict
And mothers, children, brothers, sisters torn apart
Families are being destroyed by the violence
How long, how long?
When will this end?
'Cause tonight, we can be as one
We can come together despite our differences
Wipe the tears from your eyes
Don't cry anymore
Wipe your tears away
Dry your tears
Oh, wipe your tears away
Please stop crying
I'll, wipe your tears away (Sunday, Bloody Sunday)
I will comfort you during these difficult times
I'll, wipe your blood shot eyes (Sunday, Bloody Sunday)
I will help you even when your situation seems hopeless
And it's true we are immune
We are becoming desensitized
When fact is fiction and TV reality
When the media distorts the truth
And today the millions cry
So many people are suffering
We eat and drink while tomorrow they die
We are enjoying our lives, while others are dying
The real battle just begun
The conflict will continue
To claim the victory Jesus won
To fight for justice and peace like Jesus would have wanted
Sunday Bloody Sunday, yeah
Referencing Bloody Sunday once more
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Adam Clayton, Dave Evans, Larry Mullen, Paul Hewson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind