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.
Sex Spider
Gogol Bordello Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To put all the Don Juans to shame
There'll be cadre dance for all the beautiful and homely
No one will slip away
From a spider
Oh dark is his web and thousand of creatures
In it they shine just like the stars
One heaven of orofices for all the arms
Of a spider
(Lalalai la lai la la...)
So here he comes, he comes, here he comes a-courting
And there they shine just like the stars
But more, more, more for even thousand of creatures
One heaven of orofices for all the arms
Of a spider
(Lalalai la lai la la...)
The lyrics of Gogol Bordello's song "Sex Spider" are a bit cryptic and open to interpretation, but they seem to be referencing the power and allure of sex. The "spider" in question is likely a metaphor for a seductive and charismatic person, with the web representing the sensual pull they have on others. The lines "there'll be cadre dance for all the beautiful and homely, no one will slip away from a spider" suggest that this spider figure is able to attract and hold the attention of all kinds of people, regardless of their looks or personality.
The second verse builds on this metaphor, describing the spider's web as a place where "thousands of creatures" shine like stars. This may be alluding to the idea of sexual exploration and the plethora of experiences one can have within a single encounter or relationship. The final lines "one heaven of orofices for all the arms" lean into this interpretation, suggesting that the spider's web is a place where everyone can find pleasure and satisfaction.
Overall, the lyrics of "Sex Spider" seem to be celebrating the power of sexual attraction and the all-encompassing nature of physical pleasure. The metaphor of the spider and its web evoke feelings of danger and entrapment, suggesting that there is a dark side to this kind of obsession, but ultimately the song seems to revel in the ecstasy of desire.
Line by Line Meaning
Ah here he comes, he comes, here he comes a-courting
The spider is approaching its prey with a clear intention.
To put all the Don Juans to shame
The spider's seduction skills are far superior to the most skilled human seducers.
There'll be cadre dance for all the beautiful and homely
The spider's web is indiscriminate as it captures both beautiful and ugly creatures.
No one will slip away
Escape from the spider's web is impossible.
From a spider
The spider is a master of deceit and lures its prey into its web.
Oh dark is his web and thousand of creatures
The spider's web is vast and filled with countless victims.
In it they shine just like the stars
The spider's web is adorned with creatures caught in its glistening threads.
But more, more, more for even thousand of creatures
The spider's insatiable appetite cannot be satisfied with just a few victims.
One heaven of orofices for all the arms
The spider's web is a paradise filled with countless opportunities for the spider's many limbs to feed on.
Of a spider
The spider's web is an extension of its body, a tool for hunting and feeding.
(Lalalai la lai la la...)
Musical interlude.
So here he comes, he comes, here he comes a-courting
The spider continues its hunt for unsuspecting prey.
And there they shine just like the stars
The spider's web continues to catch and hold creatures in its shimmering threads.
But more, more, more for even thousand of creatures
The spider's hunger grows as it captures more and more prey.
One heaven of orofices for all the arms
The spider's web is a paradise filled with countless opportunities for the spider's many limbs to feed on.
Of a spider
The spider continues to hunt and feed, as is its nature.
(Lalalai la lai la la...)
Musical interlude to emphasize the spider's rhythmic movements as it hunts.
Contributed by Hunter V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.