Suzanne Vega - Luka | REACTION

[@ViewsFromThe502]

Please watch the full video before you try to claim that we didn't touch base on the subject matter. Thanks 🤙

[@amywilliams4097]

Glad you understood the meaning of the song once it was over. I know some people didn't wait until the end of your video to see that. It is difficult on a first listen to hear how serious it is because the music sounds more upbeat than the lyrics. Don't give up on her. Please react to her song Tom's diner. Hoping you will enjoy that one much more. Your videos always make my day! Have a good one.

[@penelopehornswaggle102]

I know what you like and you guys would LOVE "NOT KNOW JOHN" by Pink Floyd.❤❤❤

[@filifolia]

A controversy once in a while is a good thing, stirs up the waters. And I'm afraid this is just her voice, she has this kind of sweet sound, not much different in other songs.

[@writersblock8493]

Suzanne Vega was a like a breath of fresh air amidst what was common listening back then - this incl. her voice - pretty sure if you check what was charting you 'll see a lot of female artists singer/songwriters starting to push through again - nothing wrong with mixing it up you'll start touching on a lot of gems from those different times

[@hibhibb5429]

Wow what a bunch of jumping the gun, judging crowd we have in this comment section. If y'all would watch the whole video you'd see that the guys got the subject matter of the song. They are not bad guys just because they don't care for the sound or style of the music/song. They are allowed their opinion just like you are. Everybody take a breath.

[@markfadness9204]

Vega is not singing about herself being abused but in the voice of a boy who lives upstairs named Luka.

[@bobbiewallace4008]

Wow that's very sad

[@bobthebear1246]

However, I just read in her Wikipedia article that this song actually was based on the abuse she suffered at the hands of her stepfather Ed Vega and just simply created the fictional character of Luka to tell her own story, so Nick and Ryan are actually correct here.

[@bonya4585]

@@bobthebear1246even sadder

[@drums4b]

I myself am a victim of child/sexual abuse and this song always resonates with me.

[@joefera8947]

No, she recently admitted that it’s about her.

[@JeffPhillips-dn2fg]

This song was groundbreaking in the 80s because of the topic discussed. It exploded on the scene because it shocked us. Huge song of the 80s!

[@garyneilson3075]

Totally, right!

[@RachelinKy]

One of the saddest songs ever written.

[@aimfuldrifter]

The music is like a smile on the person's face but deep inside that human is crying and in an emotional pain. It's a good song. I don't think it's too sweet and mind you that I love bands like Iron Maiden and with strong vocals.

[@ryanstarkey3011]

This song was catchy enough to grab your ear when first released, deep enough to earn your respect after you understood the lyrics. Hearing it all these years later, it has aged well. The message still rings true(sadly), and with time the song has gotten better.

[@vidpie]

The young person's voice represented Luka, the abused boy who lived upstairs. She's telling his story, conveying the things he says to others.

[@michellejones-zu1kq]

The music is meant to be sweet like candy to juxtaposition against the very dark lyrics. The artist is trying to give the impression of this being sung by a child and a child's pov & situation. It was performed like this on purpose.

[@edhirt1020]

She’s writing about child abuse. The kid lives upstairs and is afraid for the listener to get involved. The song had such an influence at the time it came out since it raised awareness to a serious issue that is too often ignored.

[@brennisbooth9]

This song leaves me broken every time.

[@garyneilson3075]

Oh and yes she is being the voice for the boy child Luka.

[@Wordsmyth8]

I don’t understand Nick’s objection to the song. To me, it’s a well-crafted pop song, both musically and lyrically. Now I can understand if it’s just not your cup of tea, but to blame it on the singer’s voice not sounding mature enough seems odd to me.

[@aimfuldrifter]

Yeah, I guess everyone's a little biased. She has that sweet, girly voice but to compare her to Justin Bieber? That was cringey from Nick.

[@sharonmcdonald6299]

This is about Child Abuse! Geez, guys!!! You're so sheltered .......but some of us lived a childhood hell. The lyrics really hit hard. My Dad was so physically violent. After a beating he told us "He loved us." As a tiny girl, it taught me that a man can only love you if he can make you cry.

[@ViewsFromThe502]

Hence, the pinned comment

[@Jules-um4yy]

This is a gut wrenching song despite the catchy tune and Suzanne Vega has the perfect voice to sing it. Appreciate this reaction guys!

[@rufusbayne2230]

When this song and the video came out it received almost constant air play. I thought the music was catchy and it had a good hook. I had to hear it several times before I understood the lyrics. Sadly, the subject is still as relevant as it was back then.

[@SMtWalkerS]

I think, at the time, the music carried you along, her soft voice and deadpan delivery carried you along, and the horror of the song only hit you later, after a couple listens. How we often do know cruelty and abusive things are going on near us, but we are staying out of it, and then slowly realize the horror and the danger this child is in. This was groundbreaking, songs were about love, lost love, this is about child abuse. Pretty shocking at the time. I worked in a medical setting for many years and saw some horrific things. This song still makes me sad.

[@megamusictuber6017]

The idea was to sound like a child. Sweet music with dark lyrics. She sings from the perspective of another person. Namely her young boy neighbor. People often don't understand when it is sung from someone else's perspective, just like most of Randy Newman's songs. In the song, the boy was the one who was abused and not her. And so he preferred not to talk about that.

[@ridcully321]

Great song, special lyrics that tell a painful story. Seen her live twice and her performance was superb.

[@AllenDM]

This song was a huge hit in the late 80s. It's about child abuse.

[@filifolia]

Tom's Diner, Solitude Standing, Left of Centre - all good

[@dranet47]

And Marlene on the Wall.

[@susanmurray7654]

Left of Center. Gosh it's been ages!

[@garyneilson3075]

Yes, brilliant, all.... M

[@notanotherenigma7759]

Marlena on the wall too.

[@sehnbadt]

Don't make.fun of this song. Very serious Lyrics.

[@MattB-h3n]

This is a good point and something the guys hopefully understood as they followed the lyrics as the song played. The meaning of some songs, like this one, can be misunderstood through lyrical dissonance. That most often occurs when the tempo of the song doesn't match the lyrical meaning (a slow song may seem gloomy but is really uplifting, while a faster tempo song may have lyrics not telling a positive story). Another example of lyrical dissonance from the 1980s would be the song "Voices Carry" by 'Til Tuesday. The music is midtempo, but the lyrics are telling the story of how the female singer is in a domestic violence/abuse type relationship. Another more recent example of lyrical dissonance with a well known song from the 1990s is "Semi-Charmed Life" by Third Eye Blind. The music is very uptempo and seems "happy," but the lyrics are largely about substance abuse. The tempo for most songs typically match the lyrical meaning, but following the lyrics when doing these kinds of reactions is important to not misunderstand the song's meaning in a negative way.

[@CGohStudio]

These guys just didnt unsrtand It…

[@JWCFB]

Had the same impact as Pat Benatar’s “Hell Is For Children” which came before this.

[@Tony.aussiecoltsfan]

I remember taking a while to understand this song. I was young, but once l did wow what a masterpiece that means so much too so many ❤️ Thanks Suzanne

[@susanmurray7654]

She had a big hit with Toms Diner

[@Jude_196]

Great tune - SAD SONG.....once you hear it: you don't forget it....

[@garyneilson3075]

Never forgot it, it was a shock to the system

[@Jude_196]

@@garyneilson3075 AGREE!!

[@auralfixxation6702]

Another great song you should do is from Shawn Colvin called "Sunny Came Home".

[@dawnpatrol700]

This song is more about the subject and lyrics, than the melody. Its a good song, but its not gonna jump out at you melodically. It was a slow burn for me, i liked it more with each listen. Another song from that same year, about the same subject is " whats the matter here" by 10.000 Maniacs

[@MrMusic-nd5to]

She has a GREAT voice but is telling a story on this sad song. The performance isn't meant to showcase her voice but her songwriting! 🎸

[@loristone9242]

This song breaks my heart

[@stevenwebber7356]

I am a big fan of Suzanne Vega. I find that some of her songs can hit me emotionally, as well as cerebrally. If want a b\it of a change up, you could try songs from the fourth studio album, 99.9F° (1992). This is my favourite album of hers. She also a good live performer - a good example of this is the video, Live at the Albert Hall (1987).

[@legman1476]

The guys react to ALL aspects of every song they review. They do discuss the harsh subject matter that underlies the boppy MAJOR chord progression after the song ends. The song is F, Csus, Bbsus2, Csus until the Chorus where Suzanne throws in a Dminor7th chord. It's brilliant in that a young child would try to hide what's happening rather than wear it on their sleeve. That's what the music does while the lyric does not hide the truth. This is a fine reaction for first timers hearing the song.

[@bookwoman53]

Listen to Suzanne’s song Caramel. It’s about temptation and wanting someone that you shouldn’t have.

[@dranet47]

Looking forward to this one, I love her! Get the tissues ready though.

[@donnakubiski5572]

I'm looking forward to it also. Powerful song.

[@itsmedrooms6071]

Her best album came later with 99.9 Fahrenheit degrees which is a masterpiece of a record, just so unique with top notch songwriting , great players and different instrumentation; quite a sonic departure from her previous work. 10,000 Maniacs did a great song on the sad subject off of their album In My Tribe called What’s the Matter Here. It’s probably a better song in some respects, although I found out later that Luka is part autobiographical about Suzanne’s own abusive childhood, so it’s coming from someplace real.

[@garyneilson3075]

Didn't know she'd had that Luka life, explains how she could do that then, thanks...

[@banamarco]

It's a song about child abuse. When the song came out the great Prince wrote a letter to Suzanne Vega :"Luka is the most enchanting piece of music I have heard in a long time. There are no words to tell you everything I feel when I listen to it. Thank you God that you exist"

[@mikeroche9986]

It says she was born in 1959. This song came out in 1987, so she was around 27 when she recorded it.

[@christianm7220]

Her song Gypsy is my favorite! Her storytelling is absolutely first rate.

[@Belluser-we1uc5cb2l]

Fun fact ...the little boy is from the Sopranos. He played Medow's bf that got shot hiding out. Not sure how old he was in the video. Song is about child abuse. Susanne did say she lived in a building where she suspected child abuse. Then she wrote this song.😢

[@gloriaduenez2080]

Understand your reaction. It is a well written song 🎵 There is a nice beat to it and the meaning doesn't need to be repeated. Not everyone has similar taste. I do get the moodiness. I have heard the song before, and those who have gone through it, this song touches them a little more. 👍

[@illiamdeebe7579]

She always reminded me of a female Bruce Cockburn... socially aware, intelligent lyrics and some nice melodies. I would like to see you react to Bruce Cockburn's 'Lovers in a Dangerous Time'

[@timwirasnik5878]

The Track is ALL about Abuse and really is very Poinent!

[@AngelaGoodwin-fh6fw]

"Tom's Diner" by Suzanne Vega w/DNA is a BANGER! Also, I'd highly recommend "What I Am" by Edie (pronounced E-D) Brickel and The Bohemians.

[@MattB-h3n]

Another song from this same period that may be worth a review is The Bangles cover version of "A Hazy Shade of Winter." The song was originally released in the 1960s as a "folk rock" type song by Simon and Garfunkel. The Bangles recorded it for the "Less Than Zero" film soundtrack in the mid to later 1980s as a more straightforward rock song. If there's anyone out there that thinks female musicians can't properly perform rock music, listen to this version and then think again.

[@DJDOGG31]

It’s about child abuse….maybe that is the reason for the child-like vocal.

[@gablen23]

Great album, she's one of my favourite singers. Her music really changed a lot later on, I think you would like "Nine Objects of Desire" better, listen to "Caramel" or "Headshots".

[@Critical_Thinker858]

I LOVE her voice. She has a voice that puts you at ease. So soft and unassuming. My only regret with this song is that it is over produced with too much 80’s influence. I wish it was more unplugged sounding with just her acoustic guitar and maybe drums bass and a violin or something to round it out, maybe actual piano vs. keyboard/synth. It has a little bit too much of the 1980s Cherry 7up advertising vibe (if you don’t know the Cherry 7up ad campaign from the 80s featuring a young Matt LeBlanc - Google it.) Anyway, the lyrics and subject matter of this song call for “real” instrumentation and a sparse arrangement, not the whimsical electro-bubble gum pop arrangement that we ended up with.

[@suemiller9458]

Have never heard of this song or this singer before. Don’t care for her voice at all. I like female voices that are much stronger (Ann Wilson type). And I don’t even care for the sound of the song either. But very heartbreaking lyrics. Whether this is about a woman explaining her situation as though she’s a little boy (as Ryan felt) or about a child being abused, it’s sad. I grew up in a home where my father was physically abusive to my mother. And I have zero tolerance for abuse on any level now. Abuse of any kind is reprehensible but I will never ever understand how a person can physically or sexually abuse a helpless child. I can see how this song was groundbreaking back in the 80’s. Nick and Ryan clearly understood the meaning of the lyrics but it is their “job” to give their views on the entire song, not just one component. Which they did quite well.

[@garyatwood-mendez6465]

It’s sung like it’s a young person because it’s from the point of view of an abused child.

[@mjm5081]

❤😢

[@spawn4582]

As far as I remember, in 1988 Suzanne dedicated the song "Luca" to the fight for women's rights, I liked the song, be sure to remember to react to the songs: "Solitude Standing", "Left Of Center" and Marlene On The Wall."

[@ShonnaSaunders]

🔥

[@stephenreiner1523]

Suzanne Vega has a video on you tube that explains what the song is actually about and it's about a kid named Luka which is Sicilian. He was abused by his parents. Check the video by Suzanne Vega out, the story behind Luka on you tube.

[@MattB-h3n]

"There's A Melody I" kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnPCmmaBiaure8Usi=btIA5LPZx-AsvmDQ "There's A Melody II" kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y6euf3qnob2WfaMsi=ydq9PbHpnHIfOjWQ "No Song Left To Save Me" kzbin.info/www/bejne/gpvac5qNlLpgjbMsi=-JDrWnln18oJdb8F Before the "Luka" reaction video was available, I replied to an early post that the song is a very good example of a writing technique called lyrical dissonance. That's when the writer deliberately does not match the lyrics/song meaning to the musical tempo and vice versa. This is why it has not been uncommon in the past for songs with serious messages to become big hits because most people listening may only notice the tempo, chorus, or "hook" and not the intended lyrical meaning. Arguably one of the best lyrical dissonance writers around now is Steven Page (formerly of the Barenaked Ladies). Beyond the band's catalogue, he put out a great solo album in 2016 called "Heal Thyself Pt. 1: Instinct." Many of the uptempo songs on that album are about relationships, family, spirituality, expectations, mental health, life, death, among other topics. Page even walks the audience through his lyrical dissonance writing process in 3 of the tracks. The first track (the first link at the top) is called "There's a Melody I." By itself, it doesn't make a ton of sense as it's not really a song and it's short. However, if you then listen to track 11 "There's a Melody II" (the second link at the top), you can see that he's building different ideas in those tracks towards a more complete song (musically, melodically, and lyrically). Together, those two tracks are about the difficulty that a writer has "breaking through" to write the song that they hear but can't get out of their head. The "finished product" is track 12 "No Song Left To Save Me" (the third link at the top). This song doesn't exactly sound musically like tracks 1 and 11. It actually sounds like it would have been written in the Motown or 1970s R&B era. So, you'd think because it is extremely uptempo, that it is a "happy" song when the singer's whole point is that if he doesn't keep "breaking through" and writing, then they'll be "No Song Left To Save Me," so his career will greatly suffer or come to an end (the topics in tracks 1 and 11). It is a brilliant example of taking different bits from the writing process, putting them on an album, not having them all match up or seem to be leading anywhere but then letting the listener discover what it is all supposed to mean.

[@MattB-h3n]

For those folks that are Barenaked Ladies fans, one of the more popular lyrical dissonance songs from the Steven Page era is "Pinch Me." The song is midtempo and catchy, seeming to be light-hearted. However, the singer (as the main character) doesn't know if he's awake (actively living his life) or simply sleepwalking through it (not the main actor making decisions or taking action), thus he asks the listener to "pinch" him to see. This may sound quite bizarre, but the underlying message in this song (that you can't sleep walk through life and expect others to keep you alert to achieve your goals and dreams) is quite similar to the song "Time" by Pink Floyd. The songs are nowhere near close to each other musically, but if you read the lyrics to "Time," you may find what Roger Waters (the main lyricist of the song) said about it: That it's a song about understanding that there isn't a set time (say 18 years old) when your life starts for you to begin achieving your goals and dreams. "Time" is more traditionally structured in that the music and lyrics match up more closely together. "Pinch Me" is much more of a lyrical dissonance song because the music/tempo and lyrical message don't match (even though there are similarities in the meanings of both songs).

[@MattB-h3n]

If anyone is really interested in lyrical dissonance, there's actually been times when mass constructed or unintended lyrical dissonance has occurred. Perhaps the best example of this is the song "Born in the U.S.A." by Bruce Springsteen. Today in America, most people interpret the song to be about pride in being born in the country and certain definitions of patriotism that may come from that belief. However, Springsteen's intentions were for the song to be more meant as a protest to what he believed he saw happening in the country at that time (through the eyes of the main character, a Vietnam veteran struggling to have the same chances at a better life than before the war). The song has been played countless times at major sporting events and other major public gatherings with the crowd often singing along to the chorus, which has created this mass constructed or unintended lyrical dissonance to the song. Examples of this would be the fact that a major car company offered millions of dollars to Springsteen to let them use the song in TV ads (which he did not agree to) and that, at different times and in different ways, the major American political parties have tried to argue that the song supports that party's positions. In the end, the song's meaning has totally been shifted to what most people see it as being, thus creating a mass constructed or unintended lyrical dissonance.

[@notanotherenigma7759]

Never heard of her.. listen to Tom's Diner. You'll know it after 1 bar!!

[@hibhibb5429]

Wow what a bunch of jumping the gun, judging crowd we have in this comment section. If y'all would watch the whole video you'd see that the guys got the subject matter of the song. They are not bad guys just because they don't care for the sound or style of the music/song. They are allowed their opinion just like you are. Everybody relax, take a breath.

[@heatherturner6955]

Wow, had not heard this song in years. This was so big when ot came out. I was not impressed with it when it came out. But get that it is a hard subject matter. It is not one i seek after.

[@stephenreiner1523]

He's trying to hide the fact that he's a victim of abuse. Yeah very eye opening song about a real kid being abused, so don't you ask me anymore, understand.

[@writersblock8493]

love your work boys - sweet memories

[@sharonchaput9705]

I keep waiting for you both to catch on that this boy who lived upstairs was very abused.

[@Carrie-so3ro]

She has a beautiful voice. It isn't doing all kinds of ranges here because of the NATURE of the song. She is singing about child abuse. She is GOING to be singing in a flat tone when she is portraying the little kid who is being so badly abused. There is NOTHING HOPEFUL about this song! The song was big because it brought the whole issue of child abuse out into the open. Little kids going through it don't want to talk about it or let people know what it happening as they are ashamed - either about having parents that do such things OR because their parents tell them that the kid is to blame - which some kids believe & don't want others to know about. This song brought out the whole conversation about what people SHOULD DO if they spot child abuse.

[@angiemc8593]

She wrote the song to raise awareness about child abuse, which wasn’t being discussed at the time. Such a sad song, as this is the experience of many innocent children. These are the things kids being abused say, as they know they can’t talk about it and there is nobody there to help them.

[@garyneilson3075]

Ryan, you get the idea, and back in the day, these things were never discussed, that's the idea of the music.... Covering up like people did.... But what a shock to our collective systems this was...! Musically, voice, lyrics. In this era, it really couldn't hit on your era like it did in ours, so can't expect that, but you do get it to an extent. In our times it was like a blow to the face.... Ow! It hurt! & made us more aware. It was a game changer song at the time and tatally stood out from all the rest... A transition song. If you guys didn't live then we can't expect you to feel it they way we did. But, Suzanne Vega was... The... Name on our lips then!

[@chuckhutton5087]

I get the gist of what you texted, and certainly remember the sadness brought by the abuse the boy is suffering. However, Ms. Vega had just a couple hits,” Tom’s Diner” being the best listen. Average career tbh.

[@tostoday]

Powerful song.

[@joemachine4714]

Still it's a classic, and i like the sound 😊

[@susanmurray7654]

She's got a great song with the Smithereens.

[@chuckhutton5087]

Really? What was it titled?

[@beauqc5587]

Songs where the music doesn't match up with the subject matter (in this case: domestic abuse), always confuse me a bit. There's a song by The Smiths called "Girlfriend in a Coma" which is similar in the sense that the music is very upbeat and yet the subject matter is sad. Anyway, I love this melody, but the song got airplay in the day because it spoke to something that was still taboo and rarely discussed openly. It is the only song of hers I have ever heard. Anyway, great song choice. Luv ya, Nick. ;)

[@laurakali6522]

Runaway Train by Soul Asylum is another important song about child abuse, run aways and missing kids.

[@hibhibb5429]

Great song, great vocals. Sadly, the subject matter of that song will always be relevant. I only pray that the song helps, and continues to help people, even after all these years.

[@noneofyourbz4007]

Equating Vega's vocals to Taylor Swift is insulting. She broke out in the latter half of the 80s when the sex sells of Madonna was en Vogue and flashiness of Michael Jackson was the norm in selling records. Vega helped break the mold and was a breath of fresh air.

[@donbeckman884]

Funeral For a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding - Elton John

[@marshabailey1121]

It was about child abuse. "They only hit until you cry.." .Not sure you guys heard the lyrics.

[@ViewsFromThe502]

Hence the pinned comment

[@brendanfromireland]

I'm at your middle of the song breakdown bit and it really seems like you've missed the meaning of the lyrics altogether! 😂

[@terryallen345]

Whatever you upload on January 25 will be seen in Australia on January 26, that's our national day. Please upload something Australian, i recommend Cold Chisel singing "Bow River live from 2003. The best Australian band that you have never heard of 🇭🇲

[@michelekoop244]

Did you listen to the words?

[@donbeckman884]

Overnight Sensation (Hit Record) - The Raspberries

[@kellypickle]

TOMS DINER!!!!! It’s mesmerizing.

[@NewOldVideos-d5o]

Couldn't wait until the real meaning hit you... yeah.

[@construct3]

Luka is a boy's name. Luka is a little boy. And Suzanne Vega was 27 when she recorded this song.

[@jgsrhythm100]

Dobie Gray- Drift Away Essential view from 502 reaction.

[@michaelyount3176]

Pay attention to the lyrics - nothing "soft and cuddly" about this song - it's about abuse. Check her "Songs in Red and Gray" album....

[@ViewsFromThe502]

It can still SOUND that way, though, and it does

[@BigMackSnake]

Please react to Roachford - Cuddly Toy

[@shack_SI]

What I like about you guys is by virtue of your age you are forced to strip out the nostalgia that GenX feels when they hear stuff like this. You guys nailed it, okay song, subject matter was why it it got played back in the day, but melodically it is background music. I think Tom's Diner by Vega has held up much better, hell it's still being covered.

[@ryanstarkey3011]

Honestly, hardly anyone is familiar with the original "Tom's Diner" in favor of the deejay-ed remix. Without that, it's just another song from the album.

[@stephenreiner1523]

Luka is a Sicilian Boys name. It's like about this kid who lives in some second floor flat and is like his life is going nowhere.The kids in the neighborhood come by and yell up to him to say hey Luca are you gonna come down?

[@bobthebear1246]

So, first correction: Laura Nyro pronounced her name "Laura Nero" not "Laura Nye-ro." You should definitely check her out because she was a great songwriter (The Fifth Dimension recorded no fewer than 7 of her songs), a wonderful piano player and a GREAT singer on whom Folk/Rock legend Joni Mitchell based her own unique vocal style. Check-out "Stoney End" (covered by Barbra Streisand),"Stoned Soul Picnic" and "Wedding Bell Blues" by both her AND The Fifth Dimension. You can't go wrong there. Second correction: I know Suzanne Vega looked really young here but she was actually 28 years old at this time. She's 64 now and still looks very much like herself.

[@MattB-h3n]

It is very unfortunate that Laura Nyro did not get the credit for her songwriting brilliance when she was alive and, seemingly, now that she's passed. Two other songs that Nyro wrote which became big hits for other artists include "Eli's Comin'" by Three Dog Night and "When I Die" by Blood, Sweat, and Tears. In a sense, Nyro was quite similar to Bob Dylan in that she wasn't necessarily writing and recording to get songs on the radio, but other artists adopted and adapted her work to make it more "radio friendly" and big hits. Another legendary female singer/songwriter from the 1960s/early 1970s would be Carole King. She not only became one of the more famous writer of pop songs for other artists during that era, but for herself as well (I can only recall my mother owning a few records when I was a kid, but King's classic album "Tapestry" was one of them). Good times. 😀 On a final note, another iconic female solo singer from the late 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s is Roberta Flack. She made hits out of songs like "Killin' Me Softly," "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," and "Feel Like Makin' Love." She also recorded several duets with Donny Hathaway during that period, like "The Closer I Get To You" and "Where Is The Love" that are still often played on "oldies" radio stations. It's truly too bad but there are plenty of great female artists from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s that just don't get their due.

[@DrnkTheWildAir]

Hi Guys!! Tell Ty, hello for me!!

[@joneshugh]

IMHO Song of Sand is BETTER

[@susanmurray7654]

You missed it guys

[@billmavin6203]

Kinda sad? At least you eventually lost that grin half way through.

[@ralphvillanueva5558]

Oops you guys missed it completely. First of all the song is about child abuse. Secondly she’s singing from the perspective of the boy named Luka. Listen to the lyrics again. I was kind if disappointed as I couldn’t wait for your reactions.

[@ViewsFromThe502]

Hence the pinned comment

[@netrioter]

My name is Luka...i blew up the second floor....

[@brendanfromireland]

You should check out "Tom's Diner", her original is good, but the DNA Remix is the one that was more of a hit

[@clydeotoole7663]

Just a suggestion to pay closer attention to the lyrics - it's about child abuse, not a lighthearted subject.

[@ViewsFromThe502]

We mentioned it after the song

[@RonaldRomero-j9s]

Love your videos generally. "Year of the Cat" is one of my top 3 ever reactions, and I've watched thousands. This one shows some silly ignorance. Should consider "second time" reactions. Show us once you understand the heart wrenching brilliance of this genius. Ugh!

[@ViewsFromThe502]

"Ignorance" is opinionated. So are our thoughts. This video is no different than how we approach any other song in that regard. The meaning of this song has nothing to do with the SOUND of it. It is heart-wrenching, and it's a good thing that Vega shed some light on this subject. It's easy to see why it struck a chord with millions. We just don't care for the SOUND. You, along with many other commenters, did not take that into consideration for some reason, even though we clearly explained that in this video. Then again, if our opinion is different from someone else's, they will automatically call us stupid and tell us that we don't understand. The next time we have a Q&A, we'll be happy to use this video as an example of how... A. People do not watch the entire video B. Nostalgia is powerful C. Every person listens to music differently, ex: separating the sound from the meaning That pretty much fits the bill for every video we do, but it's especially true in this one, for example. We hate that it's not a fair shake sometimes, but that will happen on the internet.

[@shellilawler1334]

Jesus what a let down.

[@correctlyrics]

Nick, I totally agree. Gloomy emo chick music...no, thanks. Personally, I think this is a good song and back when it came out, girls loved it and most guys were like...meh.

[@sirhoopalot1]

I’m surprised this was 1987 and not in the 90s but I remembered MTV playing this a lot. It’s catchy but I don’t care for it.

[@bobthebear1246]

It's too bad you guys don't really dig this song. You probably wouldn't think much of Natalie Merchant, either. She's another great singer/songwriter.

[@MattB-h3n]

A good "starter" song to do a reaction for Natalie Merchant might be the cover version of Patti Smith's "Because The Night." Merchant performed it on MTV Unplugged when she was the lead singer for the group 10,000 Maniacs. The song is mid to uptempo and has an urgent/driving feel to it. Interestingly enough, the song was originally written by Patti Smith and Bruce Spingsteen. Another 10,000 Maniacs song with Natalie Merchant to review might be "These Are The Days." A Natalie Merchant solo song to review might be "Jealousy." Those last two songs are at least midtempo, if the guys aren't looking to do something which is particularly slower tempo.

[@rickmts]

Simply put, this song is about child abuse

[@jzander2966]

Wow.............this one just went over your heads in a big way. Gotta give you a thumbs down on this one guys. You didn't catch on to the subject at all......I"m stunned!

[@ViewsFromThe502]

Mentioned after the song. Man lol...

[@leslapins7617]

Guys, as reactor I think you should be more open minded. You were so emerged in your preconception that good music is about a certain rhythm or certain level of vocals that you were completely blind to the real meaning and importance of this song. Child abuse is something that not everybody talks about nowadays, imagine almost 40 years ago!! I am not a Suzanne Vega fan, but men, this song is a classic and waaaay ahead of time! It’s a sad song, millions of people can relate to the subject and you just let it sleep through your fingers, it was almost offensive. ☹️

[@ViewsFromThe502]

I'd say we're pretty open-minded. If you've watched our other videos, we don't even have to try to explain ourselves there. We acknowledged that this was a sad song, and we also acknowledged that people can relate to it. We were clearly aware of the subject matter. At the end of the day, it's not expecting this song to be any different than what it is. We even said at the end of the video that they nailed the overall theme. It doesn't change the fact that the SOUND isn't something that captured us. The story and the sound are two completely different entities. We said of all of this in this video, but apparently, people did not care about that or pay much attention like they normally do. Music is subjective, and yet people still will always try to tell you, "You're wrong." We're pretty used to it by now, but it's still baffling when people will give you a dislike simply due to a differing opinion on a song. Now that right there, that is certainly not being open-minded.

[@Newfie-zc7ug]

Wow.............took a while to figure out the song, but still don't think you got it ! kind of surprised and disappointed in you guys on this one. JMHO

[@ViewsFromThe502]

We mentioned that it was about abuse. Feel free to explain what we didn't get..

[@pensfanz]

You guys are completely out to lunch on this one.

[@baronofgreymatter14]

yes, song about child abuse