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.
Wishing On A Star
Luka Bloom Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To follow where you are
I'm wishing on a dream
To follow what it means.
And I wish on every rainbow
That I've ever seen
I'm wishing on the people
I'm wishing on tomorrow
Should it ever come
I'm wishing on the loving
We have ever done.
I never thought I'd see
A time when you would be
So far away from home
So far away from me.
I think of all the moments
That we spent
I just can't let you go
For me you were meant
I didn't mean to hurt you
But I know
That in the game of love
You reap what you sow.
I think it's time we should make up
I think it's time we should get back together
Make the best of things
Whether or never make the best of things
I'm wishing on a star
To follow where you are
I'm wishing on a dream
To follow what it means.
I'm wishing on a star
I'm wishing on a star
In Luka Bloom's song "Wishing on a Star," the singer expresses a deep longing for his distant lover. The first stanza finds the singer wishing on a star and a dream, hoping to follow where his love is and what that love means. He's also wishing on the people who truly dream, perhaps acknowledging the power of others' desires to bring his own wish to fruition. The second stanza references rainbows and the love that has been shared between himself and his partner, emphasizing the hope that there is still a chance for their love to continue.
The chorus is repeated twice, emphasizing the yearning for love and the insistence on wishing to find the way back to the one who is far away. In the bridge, the singer reflects on how he never thought he'd be separated from his love in this way, and reminisces about the good times they shared. He acknowledges that what he has done has caused harm, and acknowledges the fundamental truth that in love, you reap what you sow. Finally, the song ends with the protaganist acknowledging the need for reconciliation, expressing a desire to make things right and to "make the best of things."
Line by Line Meaning
I'm wishing on a star
Expressing a desire and hope for something good to come.
To follow where you are
To be with the person being wished for.
I'm wishing on a dream
Having aspirations and desires for something believed to be near impossible.
To follow what it means.
To chase after and pursue what one believes is their rightful destiny.
And I wish on every rainbow
Finding hope and positivity in life's simple pleasures and wonders.
That I've ever seen
Reflecting on the memories and joys of the past.
I'm wishing on the people
Believing in the power and energy of collective dreams and aspirations.
Who really dream
Having faith in those who are passionate and determined to make their dreams come true.
I'm wishing on tomorrow
Holding onto hope for a better future despite uncertainty and fear.
Should it ever come
Recognizing that tomorrow is not a guarantee and therefore cherishing the present.
I'm wishing on the loving
Valuing the love and connection one shares with another person.
We have ever done.
Appreciating the past and the experiences that have brought us to the present.
I never thought I'd see
Feeling shock and disbelief at a reality that was previously unimaginable.
A time when you would be
Referring to the person being wished for and expressing sadness over their absence.
So far away from home
Feeling a sense of distance and detachment from the person's origins and roots.
So far away from me.
Feeling disconnected and separated from the person who is being wished for.
I think of all the moments
Reflecting on the memories and experiences shared with the person who is being wished for.
That we spent
Remembering and cherishing the past shared together.
I just can't let you go
Feeling a strong emotional tie and connection to the person and unable to move on without them.
For me you were meant
Believing that the person is meant to be in one's life and feeling incomplete without them.
I didn't mean to hurt you
Regretting actions or words that caused pain or fractured the relationship.
But I know
Accepting and taking responsibility for one's actions and their consequences.
That in the game of love
Acknowledging that relationships can be unpredictable and come with risks and challenges.
You reap what you sow.
Recognizing that one's actions have consequences and that they ultimately determine the outcome of a situation.
I think it's time we should make up
Feeling regretful and wanting to reconcile and repair the relationship.
I think it's time we should get back together
Expressing a desire to restart the relationship and work towards a new beginning.
Make the best of things
Choosing to make the most of a difficult situation and focus on the positive aspects of life.
Whether or never make the best of things
Regardless of the outcome, choosing to find happiness and contentment in the present and not dwelling on uncertainty.
I'm wishing on a star
Reiterating the desire and hope for something good to come.
To follow where you are
To be with the person being wished for.
I'm wishing on a dream
Having aspirations and desires for something believed to be near impossible.
To follow what it means.
To chase after and pursue what one believes is their rightful destiny.
I'm wishing on a star
Reiterating the desire and hope for something good to come.
Contributed by Bentley Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.