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.
Purple
Gogol Bordello Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Start wearing purple, for me now
All your sanity and wits, they will all vanish
I promise, it's just a matter of time
So yeah start wearing purple wearing purple
Start wearing purple, for me now
All your sanity and wits, they will all vanish
I know you since you were a twenty and I was twenty
But thought that some years from now
A purple little little lady will be perfect
For dirty old and useless clown
So yeah, start wearing purple wearing purple!
Start wearing purple for me now!
All your sanity and wits, they will all vanish,
I promise, it's just a matter of time!
I know it all from Diogenis to Foucault
From Lozgechkin to Paspartu
I ja kljanus obostzav dva paltza
Schto muzika poshla ot Zvukov Mu!
Start wearing purple wearing purple!
Start wearing purple for me now!
All your sanity and wits, they will all vanish,
I promise, it's just a matter of time!
So yeah, start wearing purple wearing purple!
Start wearing purple for me now!
So why don't you start wearing purple?
Why don't you start wearing purple
Start wearing purple for me now!
All your sanity and wits, they will all vanish,
I promise, it's just a matter of time!
So Fio-Fio-Fioletta! Etta! Va-va-va-vaja dama ti moja!
Eh podayte name karetu, votetu, I mi poedem k ebenjam!
So yeah, start wearing purple wearing purple!
Start wearing purple for me now!
All your sanity and wits, they will all vanish,
I promise, it's just a matter of time!
The song "Start Wearing Purple" by Gogol Bordello is an eccentric but catchy song about urging someone to start wearing purple, as it eventually amounts to them losing all their sanity and wits. The song seems to take on a sarcastic and satirical outlook on life, particularly with regards to its overarching message that everything in life amounts to nothing but becoming a "dirty old and useless clown."
The lyrics express the singer's desire for the subject to wear purple, as it represents an ironic and jovial sentiment that they will eventually go "crazy" anyways. The lyrics suggest that sanity and rationality are futile and will result in an eventual loss of control, where all that is left is a deranged and mad lifestyle. The references to various intellectuals and philosophers further deepen the song's satiric message, implying that even those who appear to be intelligent and rational will eventually succumb to the same fate.
It is worth noting that the lyrics are in a mix of English and Russian, further emphasizing the song's eccentricity and diverse cultural influences. The instrumentation within the song is also unique, featuring instruments such as an accordion and a violin. The song's upbeat tempo and lively energy make it a perfect fit for anyone looking for a quick pick-me-up.
Line by Line Meaning
Start wearing purple wearing purple
Begin to wear the color purple in your clothing and accessories
Start wearing purple, for me now
Wear purple in honor of me, at this moment in time
All your sanity and wits, they will all vanish
Over time, you will lose your sanity and common sense
I promise, it's just a matter of time
This loss of sanity will inevitably occur
I know you since you were a twenty and I was twenty
I have known you since both of us were young adults
But thought that some years from now
But I knew that eventually
A purple little little lady will be perfect
Someone who embodies the color purple will be ideal
For dirty old and useless clown
For someone who has become old and foolish
I know it all from Diogenis to Foucault
I have knowledge spanning from ancient Greek philosophy to modern French theory
From Lozgechkin to Paspartu
And from specific cultural references to other specific cultural references
I ja kljanus obostzav dva paltza
I bite my thumb at you
Schto muzika poshla ot Zvukov Mu!
Because the music came from Zvukov Mu (a fictional band)
So why don't you start wearing purple?
Why don't you begin to wear purple?
All your sanity and wits, they will all vanish
Eventually, you will lose all your sense and reason
So Fio-Fio-Fioletta! Etta! Va-va-va-vaja dama ti moja!
So, my violet lady, come to me!
Eh podayte name karetu, votetu, I mi poedem k ebenjam!
Let's get a carriage and ride to the rocks!
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ELIOT FERGUSON, EUGENE HUTZ, OREN KAPLAN, REA MOCHIACH, SERGEY RYABSTEV, YURI LEMESHEV
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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@999531s
"It's one of the very few songs I wrote for a girl. I just moved in with my girlfriend in New York. We had a neighbour: an old woman who was always dressed in purple head to toe. She was clearly bonkers. So whenever my girlfriend and I had an argument and she would start screaming at me, I would say: you might as well start wearing purple now." -Gogol Bordello
@VisceralVerbals
*-Eugene Hutz
@juliaistominaoden5801
Thank you! My daughter just asked what this song means, so I started looking, and see your explanation. Now we know!!!
@djscrews
Been listening to this song for years and had no idea what the point was, but I love it. That is absolutely hilarious, and defintely something I would do/say! Love it, man!
@rome8180
@@juliaistominaoden5801 I always took it as "Embrace insanity for me." or "Let's be crazy together." "Purple" is also used to describe writing that's over the top and florid. So I look at it as symbolizing insanity and self-indulgence. I think it's the idea of letting loose and being yourself in a relationship.
@heatherbisset9365
Thats just so perfect😅
@jimmy_the_squid9456
I used to DJ weddings and I would always play this song once everyone's had a few drinks, it never failed to get the party going
@agent_ninety9
What a great idea!! Lol
@MrYFlyer
Could be the drink