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.
My Strange Uncles From Abroad
Gogol Bordello Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
yes I never met them
but I took everything they wrote
and I'll never forget them
Through the mystical communication
deep within it all comes true
forming underground railroad
for our ultimate break through!
My strange nephews from abroad
I'll meet them on the cosmos streets
and we will drink to how we never told you
to trust a plastic beat
Bright open eyes. they are still looking
they are still finding
a few unpoisoned hearts
no matter where you are exiled.
no matter where you are exiled!
The lyrics to Gogol Bordello's "My Strange Uncles From Abroad" appear to pay tribute to the band's name itself, which is derived from Nikolai Gogol, the famous Ukrainian-born Russian writer known for his dark humor and vivid storytelling. In these lyrics, the "strange uncles" and "strange nephews" are likely a reference to Gogol and his influence on the band's music, even though the singer confesses to never having met them in person.
By taking "everything they wrote," the singer seems to be suggesting that he has absorbed Gogol's storytelling style and is now using it to create his own musical narrative. The "mystical communication" and "underground railroad" mentioned in the lyrics could be interpreted as a metaphor for the way in which art and culture can connect people across boundaries, both physical and cultural.
The second half of the song's lyrics continue with this theme of searching for meaning and connection through music, even when faced with the challenges of being an outsider or "exiled" from mainstream society. The line "we will drink to how we never told you to trust a plastic beat" seems to be a rejection of the superficial, mass-produced music that dominates the industry, and a celebration of the more authentic, heartfelt music that the band creates.
Overall, "My Strange Uncles From Abroad" is a powerful celebration of the transformative power of music and the ability of artists to transcend boundaries and connect people across cultures.
Line by Line Meaning
My strange uncles from abroad
I have weird relatives from another country
yes I never met them
I haven't seen them yet. Haven't had the chance to interact.
but I took everything they wrote
But I've read all they write.
and I'll never forget them
And I won't ever forget them.
Through the mystical communication
The eerie connection
deep within it all comes true
Somehow it all comes to life
forming underground railroad
Creating an unseen channel for mobility
for our ultimate break through!
Our eventual pivotal moment of triumph.
My strange nephews from abroad
My bizarre extended family from another planet
I'll meet them on the cosmos streets
I will encounter them on the streets of the universe
and we will drink to how we never told you
We will toast to the fact that we never advised you
to trust a plastic beat
to believe in a false rhythm
Bright open eyes. they are still looking
Eyes that are alert and aware. They keep searching
they are still finding
They still discover
a few unpoisoned hearts
The rare uncorrupted souls
no matter where you are exiled.
Even if you are forced to leave a place of belonging.
no matter where you are exiled!
Regardless of your location of banishment.
Contributed by Leah D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
FriendlyShadow1
I am a strange uncle and I love this band.
Colette Bembenek
Blaze it ! Bordello and his gypsy punks are dynamite ! They rock like no other....wow, wow, YEAH! Dance and they make your head spin.....love em !
Colette Bembenek
Could listen to this all day, well, as all Gogol Bordello and his band. Tu tu !
opredeleno
I want Clutch to invite GB for a tour together! I will quit my job to be their groupee!
cgbuosi
oh my gorden, this is so fucking awesome!
Jorge Morales
These Mutha truckers hella rock out!!
rnn muterle
My uncle was a strange drunk cop, for one...
Pa šutiraj deeečkooo!!!
no matter where you are exiled YOU ARE EXILED
Branimir Marold
great movie, thanks for sharing, respect!
Elijah Pearce
my strange friend likes this song :D