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.
Strange Uncles From Abroad
Gogol Bordello Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yes I never met'em!
But I took everything they wrote
And I'll never forget 'em!
Through the mystical communication
Deep within it all comes through
Forming underground railroad
For our ultimate breakthrough!
Maybe I'll never meet 'em
They'll take everything I wrote and I'd never forbid 'em!
My strange uncles from beyond
I'll meet 'em on the cosmos street
And we will drink to how we told
To never trust a plastic beat
Through the mystical communication
Deep within it all comes through
Forming underground railroad
For our ultimate break through!
In Gogol Bordello's song "Strange Uncles From Abroad," the lyrics reference mysterious relatives from other countries who have imparted some kind of valuable knowledge or wisdom to the singer. Despite never having met these uncles and nephews, the singer has been able to receive their teachings through "mystical communication." The use of the phrase "forming underground railroad" is particularly interesting, as it suggests a secret network through which this knowledge has been shared - likely in a way that was subversive or countercultural.
The second half of the song brings in a more cosmic element, as the singer imagines meeting these "strange uncles from beyond" in the afterlife. There is a celebratory tone as they raise a glass to "never trust a plastic beat" - a line that could be interpreted in various ways, but likely refers to superficial or manufactured music that lacks authenticity or meaning. Throughout the song, there is a sense that the knowledge being shared is transformative, leading to an "ultimate breakthrough" that will free the singer (and possibly others) from some kind of oppression or restriction.
Line by Line Meaning
My strange uncles from abroad
Referring to the unseen and unknown influences that have impacted the songwriter’s work
yes I never met'em!
The songwriter has never physically met these influences
but I took everything they wrote
The songwriter has taken in and absorbed everything that these influences have created
and I'll never forget 'em!
The songwriter will always remember the impact that these influences had on their work
Through the mystical communication
The way in which the influence of these mysterious figures has been felt by the songwriter
Deep within it all comes through
The impact of these influences can be felt on a deeper level
forming underground railroad
Referring to the undercurrent of these influences that connect different areas and people in the music industry
for our ultimate breakthrough!
The ultimate goal of breaking through barriers in the music industry
My strange nephews from abroad
Referring to the possibility of the songwriter’s own work having a similarly mysterious impact on future generations
maybe I'll never meet 'em
The songwriter may never physically meet these future generations, but their impact could still be felt
They'll take everything I wrote and I'd never forbid 'em!
The songwriter is open to and encouraging of future generations taking inspiration and creating something new from their work
My strange uncles from beyond
Referring to the possibility of additional, otherworldly influences on the songwriter's work
I'll meet 'em on the cosmos street
If these otherworldly influences exist, the songwriter may one day come into contact with them in the afterlife
and we will drink to how we told to never trust a plastic beat
Together, the songwriter and these otherworldly influences will celebrate the importance of authentic, meaningful music
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Eliot Ferguson, Eugene Hutz, Oren Kaplan, Rea Mochiach, Sergey Ryabstev, Yuri Lemeshev
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind