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.
Troubled Friends
Gogol Bordello Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With a Mexican head honcho
Troubled friends
Troubled friend
Kumbija
When your best friend confesses to you
That he has become something of a dealer
What do you do and what if it's true
When your best friend confesses to you
That he has become a serial killer
What do you do, do you do
With all your troubled friends
Hide them from the cops?
[inaudible lyrics/Ukrainian/Gypsy]
What do you do, do you do
With all... troubled friends
Troubled friend
Troubled friend
What do you do, and what if it's true
When your best friend confesses to you
That he has become a serial killer
What do you do, and what if it's true
When your best friend confesses to you
That he has become a car dealer
What do you do, do you do
With all your troubled friends
Hide them from the cops
[inaudible lyrics/Ukrainian/Gypsy]
What do you do, do you do
With all, troubled friends
Troubled friend
Troubled friend
Kumbija
[inaudible lyrics/Ukrainian/Gypsy]
What do you do, do you do
With all your troubled friends
Hide them from the cops
[inaudible lyrics/Ukrainian/Gypsy]
What do you do, do you do
With all, troubled friends
The lyrics of Gogol Bordello's "Troubled Friends" depict a dilemma about how to handle friends who are involved in serious trouble or criminal activities. The song starts with the line, "We're replacing the groom with a Mexican head honcho", which suggests that they are trying to change something important or significant in their lives. However, the following lyrics, "What do you do and what if it's true when your best friend confesses to you, that he has become something of a dealer" and "What do you do, and what if it's true when your best friend confesses to you, that he has become a serial killer" showcases the complexity of the situation. The singer is torn between loyalty to their troubled friends and their conscience.
The song takes inspiration from various cultures, including Latin American rhythms such as 'cumbia' and traditional Eastern European folk music. The usage of these diverse sounds and instruments adds liveliness to the song and creates a fusion of different genres.
Line by Line Meaning
We're replacing the groom
With a Mexican head honcho
Instead of following the traditional wedding ceremony with a groom, we are choosing to involve a Mexican head honcho.
Troubled friends
Troubled friend
People in distress and misery, the ones who are likely to cause problems and chaos because of their personal issues.
Kumbija
A genre of music that has roots from the Caribbean coast of Colombia, pan flutes and percussions.
What do you do and what if it's true
When your best friend confesses to you
That he has become something of a dealer
What are you supposed to do if your closest friend tells you that they are involved in drug dealing, and it's actually true.
What do you do, do you do
With all your troubled friends
Hide them from the cops?
How do you handle your problematic friends, especially those who get into trouble with the law, do you intervene or cover up for them?
[inaudible lyrics/Ukrainian/Gypsy]
Unintelligible lyrics in Ukrainian or Gypsy.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Eliot Ferguson, Eugene Hutz, Oren Kaplan, Sergey Ryabstev, Thomas Gobena, Yuri Lemeshev
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tommy Bootlegger
As I sit here hungover on the toilet listening to this, I wonder where the fuck are all my troubled friends comments after 7 years.
Marty Smelnek
That's why i rolo solo