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.
Dub the Frequencies of Love
Gogol Bordello Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the thunderbolts in each hand of my own
For I'm comin' back to level
Everythin' they taught us wrong
Onto transmigration
With a crave for panacea
Our world is crawlin' on all fours
Gods are throwin' thunderbolts
So dub it like tovarisch would
Dub it like a best friend would
Dub it like a brother would
Onto transmigration
[Incomprehensible] how to keep goin'
Of walkin' trails of ultimate
From the streets to the sub-conscience
From sub-conscience to the God
So dub it like tovarisch would
Dub it like a best friend would
Dub it like a brother would
Onto transmigration
Frequencies of love
Gather 'round, oh come on
Frequencies of love
Overcome, overthrow
Master tell me how come everythin' they taught us
Turn out to be so goddamn wrong
In the meantime music from the tiny island
Takes over the world
So dub it like tovarisch could
Say it like a brother would
Brother hold me like a mother would
Onto transmigration
Frequencies of love
Gather 'round, oh come on
Frequencies of love
Overcome, overthrow
Give me a vision when I got none
And the thunderbolts in each hand of my own
For I'm comin' back to level
Everythin' they taught us wrong
Dub it like tovarisch would
And say it like a brother would
Dub it like tovarisch would
Onto transmigration
Frequencies of love
Gather 'round, oh come on
Frequencies of love
Overcome, overthrow
Onto transmigration
In "Dub the Frequencies of Love," Gogol Bordello provides a call to action for listeners to reject the outdated and incorrect beliefs they were taught and instead embrace a new, more enlightened perspective. This is conveyed through the recurring metaphor of thunderbolts, which could represent powerful forces of change or enlightenment. The song also touches on the idea of transmigration or the cycle of rebirth, suggesting that by embracing this new perspective, individuals can transcend their current state of being and move towards something greater.
The lyrics are a fusion of English and Russian, adding to the theme of a global call-to-action. The use of the Russian word "tovarisch," meaning "comrade" or "friend," adds a sense of camaraderie and united action. The song suggests that by working together towards a common understanding, we can overcome the challenges that the world presents.
Throughout the song, Gogol Bordello employs their unique brand of gypsy punk to create a sense of frenzied energy that reinforces the calls for action and change. The punchy instrumentation and raucous vocals create an anthem-like quality that inspires a sense of urgency and passion.
Line by Line Meaning
Give me a vision when I got none
Provide me with guidance when I'm lost and uncertain.
And the thunderbolts in each hand of my own
Grant me power and strength to overcome my obstacles.
For I'm comin' back to level
I will return to restore balance and order.
Everythin' they taught us wrong
Much of what we've been taught is flawed and misguided.
Onto transmigration
Moving on to a new phase of existence or enlightenment.
With a crave for panacea
Longing for a solution or cure-all to our problems.
Our world is crawlin' on all fours
Our planet is struggling and barely making progress.
In a search of a new prayer
Seeking a new form of guidance or spiritual path.
Gods are throwin' thunderbolts
The universe is unleashing powerful forces against us.
So dub it like tovarisch would
Let's give new meaning or interpretation to our problems, like a close friend would.
Dub it like a best friend would
Let's approach our problems with care and understanding like a trusted confidante would.
Dub it like a brother would
Let's approach our problems with loyalty and fraternity like a sibling would.
Frequencies of love
The waves of positive emotion that connect us.
Gather 'round, oh come on
Come together, unite and feel the power of love.
Overcome, overthrow
Conquer, prevail and defeat our foes.
[Incomprehensible] how to keep goin'
Maintain our momentum and continue moving forward despite adversity.
Of walkin' trails of ultimate
Of navigating down the path towards our ultimate goal of harmony and peace.
From the streets to the sub-conscience
From our physical reality to the depths of our minds and emotions.
From sub-conscience to the God
From our innermost selves to our understanding of the divine.
Master tell me how come everythin' they taught us
Questioning the traditional teachings and seeking a deeper understanding of the world.
Turn out to be so goddamn wrong
Finding that much of what we've been taught is flawed or misguided.
In the meantime music from the tiny island
Meanwhile, the sounds from a small place are resonating globally.
Takes over the world
This music is transcending borders and impacting the world at large.
Say it like a brother would
Express ourselves with the honesty and camaraderie of a sibling.
Brother hold me like a mother would
Provide comfort and solace in times of struggle and uncertainty, like a mother would.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Eliot Ferguson, Eugene Hutz, Oren Kaplan, Sergey Ryabstev, Thomas Gobena, Yuri Lemeshev
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sam Knighton
Gave this album to a friend in high school with a stack of other things I had laying around. (I had a bunch of these think they were sent to my mom as a demo/promotion) they loved it xD played it at work today was surprised one of the guys I work with knows who this is.
D.V. Perez
love love this!!!! GET IT!!!!!!