After being evacuated to Western Ukraine in 1986 following the Chernobyl disaster, Hütz became enamored of the mystical, outsider qualities of gypsy music. Living as a refugee in Poland, Hungary, Austria, and Italy before moving to the United States in 1993, he experienced life as an outsider himself.
After arriving in New York, he teamed up with guitarist Vlad Solofar and squeezebox player Sasha Kazatchkoff. American Eliot Fergusen added a strong rock sound on the drums and the band was also augmented by Sergei Riabtsev on fiddle, a former theater director from Moscow whose past experience would prove helpful in the future in crafting Gogol Bordello's bizarre stage shows (like one which tells the story of super-powered immigrant Ukrainian vampires).
The group's early gigs involved playing straight gypsy music at Russian weddings, but their music soon evolved into the hyper-kinetic explosions that earned them a solid following amongst New York's downtown hipsters. The band issued a single in 1999 entitled Gogol Bordello, quickly followed by their debut full-length, Voi-La Intruder, which was produced by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds' drummer Jim Sclavunos. Solofar and Kazatchkoff were replaced by accordionist Yuri Lemeshev, who hails from the Russian island of Sakhalin, and two Israelis, guitarist Oren Kaplan and saxophonist Ori Kaplan, who despite their similar names were not related.
Hütz helped bolster the band's popularity by becoming somewhat of a celebrity in the downtown scene, in part fueled by his Thursday night DJ gigs at Bulgarian club/restaurant/bar Mehanata, where he played Ukrainian, Gypsy, raï and flamenco music for a crowd of artists, models, Ukrainians, Russians, Gypsies, and Bulgarians with tendencies toward exuberant dancing and smashing plates. In the spring of 2002, Gogol Bordello embarked on a European tour and performed as part of the Whitney Biennial, bringing their music to a whole new audience.
In 2007, the band released their fourth studio album, Super Taranta!.
The members of Gogol Bordello have also made appearances in film. In 2006, their song "Start Wearing Purple" was featured in the film Everything Is Illuminated (starring Elijah Wood and Eugene Hütz), bringing their music to an even broader audience throughout the US.
Gogol Bordello all appeared in Madonna's first short film as director, Filth and Wisdom. Eugene Hütz is to play one of the lead roles. The band have contributed three original songs to the soundtrack.
Their music was also featured in the film Wristcutters: A Love Story and the character of Eugene was based on and partially written by Eugene Hütz.
Bublitschki
Gogol Bordello Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Фонарь качается,
И свет врывается
В ночную мглу…
А я, немытая,
Тряпьем покрытая,
Стою, забытая,
Здесь — на углу.
Горячи бублики
Для нашей публики,
Гони-ка рублики,
Народ, скорей!
И в ночь ненастную
Меня, несчастную,
Торговку частную,
Ты пожалей.
Здесь, на окраине,
Год при хозяине,
Проклятом Каине,
Я состою.
Все ругань слушаю,
Трясусь вся грушею,
Помои кушаю,
Под лавкой сплю.
Горячи бублики
Для нашей публики,
Гони мне рублики,
Народ, не зря.
Тружусь я ночкою,
Считаюсь дочкою
И одиночкою
У кустаря.
Отец мой пьяница,
Гудит и чванится.
Мать к гробу тянется
Уж с давних пор.
Совсем пропащая,
Дрянь настоящая —
Сестра гулящая,
А братик вор!
Горячи бублики
Для нашей публики,
Гоните рублики
Вы мне в момент…
За мной гоняются
И все ругаются,
Что полагается
Мне взять патент.
Здесь трачу силы я
На дни постылые,
А мне ведь, милые,
Шестнадцать лет…
Глаза усталые,
А губки алые,
А щеки впалые,
Что маков цвет.
Горячи бублики
Для нашей публики,
Гоните рублики
Мне кто-нибудь…
Суженый встретится,
И мне пометится…
…Мой честный путь.
Твердит мне Сенечка:
Не хныкай, Женечка…
Пожди маленечко -
Мы в загс пойдем.
И жду я с мукою,
С безмерной скукою…
Пока ж аукаю
Здесь под дождем.
Гони мне рублики,
Для нашей публики
Прошу скорей,
И в ночь ненастную
Меня, несчастную,
Торговку частную,
Ты пожалей!
The lyrics of Bublitschki by Gogol Bordello tells a story of a young girl who is standing on a corner as the night falls. She is unkempt and forgotten, in rags, and has become a private trader of hot bubliks, or buns, for the people passing by. She is a lonely figure and a victim of her unfortunate circumstances. Her father is a drunkard who boasts endlessly, and her mother is already long gone. Her sister is a carefree wanderer, and her brother is a thief. She is someone who is being chased constantly and criticized for what she does, and people want her to take a patent. The girl is in a miserable state, with pale cheeks, tired eyes, and reddened lips.
The song contrasts the girl's situation with the passerby's joy, who can afford to buy hot buns and enjoy them as the night falls. The singer implores the audience to show mercy towards her and offer her a few coins for her buns. Furthermore, the song suggests that her entrance into adulthood will not bring her anything beyond her current status, as she will still be hopeless even when her fiancé comes.
Overall, the song is a depiction of the plight of a young female student who is struggling to make ends meet. It is a tragic portrayal of the struggle and the desperation felt by many people in poverty.
Line by Line Meaning
Ночь надвигается,
The night is approaching,
Фонарь качается,
The lantern is swaying,
И свет врывается В ночную мглу…
And the light breaks into the darkness...
А я, немытая,
And I, unwashed,
Тряпьем покрытая,
Covered in rags,
Стою, забытая,
Standing forgotten,
Здесь — на углу.
Here, on the corner.
Горячи бублики
Hot buns
Для нашей публики,
For our audience,
Гони-ка рублики,
Throw me some rubles,
Народ, скорей!
People, hurry!
И в ночь ненастную
And in the stormy night
Меня, несчастную,
Me, the unfortunate one,
Торговку частную,
Private trader,
Ты пожалей.
Have pity on me.
Здесь, на окраине,
Here, on the outskirts,
Год при хозяине,
In service of the owner,
Проклятом Каине,
Cursed like Cain,
Я состою.
I'm standing.
Все ругань слушаю,
I hear all the insults,
Трясусь вся грушею,
Trembling in fear,
Помои кушаю,
Eating leftovers,
Под лавкой сплю.
Sleeping under a bench.
Горячи бублики
Hot buns
Для нашей публики,
For our audience,
Гони мне рублики,
Throw me some rubles,
Народ, не зря.
People, not in vain.
Тружусь я ночкою,
I work at night,
Считаюсь дочкою
Considered a daughter
И одиночкою
And alone
У кустаря.
By the craftsman.
Отец мой пьяница,
My father is a drunkard,
Гудит и чванится.
Roaring and boasting.
Мать к гробу тянется
My mother is on her deathbed,
Уж с давних пор.
For a long time now.
Совсем пропащая,
Completely lost,
Дрянь настоящая —
A real mess -
Сестра гулящая,
A sister who goes out,
А братик вор!
And a little brother who's a thief!
Горячи бублики
Hot buns
Для нашей публики,
For our audience,
Гоните рублики
Throw me some rubles
Вы мне в момент…
Right now...
За мной гоняются
They're chasing after me,
И все ругаются,
And everyone's cursing,
Что полагается
That's expected
Мне взять патент.
For me to get a patent.
Здесь трачу силы я
Here I spend my strength
На дни постылые,
On these bleak days,
А мне ведь, милые,
And I'm only, my dear,
Шестнадцать лет…
Sixteen years old...
Глаза усталые,
Tired eyes,
А губки алые,
And red lips,
А щеки впалые,
And sunken cheeks
Что маков цвет.
Like the color of poppies.
Горячи бублики
Hot buns
Для нашей публики,
For our audience,
Гоните рублики
Throw me some rubles,
Мне кто-нибудь…
Somebody, to me...
Суженый встретится,
I'll meet my intended,
И мне пометится…
And I'll be marked...
…Мой честный путь.
...My honest path.
Твердит мне Сенечка:
Senichka tells me firmly:
Не хныкай, Женечка…
Don't whine, Jenichka...
Пожди маленечко -
Wait a little -
Мы в загс пойдем.
We'll go to the registry office.
И жду я с мукою,
And I wait with anguish,
С безмерной скукою…
With boundless boredom...
Пока ж аукаю
While I am out here
Здесь под дождем.
In the rain.
Гони мне рублики,
Throw me some rubles,
Для нашей публики
For our audience
Прошу скорей,
I ask you quickly,
И в ночь ненастную
And in the stormy night,
Меня, несчастную,
Me, the unfortunate one,
Торговку частную,
Private trader,
Ты пожалей!
Have mercy on me!
Contributed by Victoria P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@wertbe1718
I can't find this song anywhere else
@mrvisio
Ni yo
@irenagrant-koch7159
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQm7ZeSta8I