Fanfare Ciocarlia

Whether you find the film horribly funny or horribly racist, consider the soundtrack an entity of its own. It begins with "Chaje Shukarije," a beautiful song by the queen of Romanian gypsy music, Esma Redzepova. Turkish/Romanian ensemble Fanfare Ciocarlia do a fun interpretation of Steppenwolf's "Born To Be Wild." The rest of the album intersperses movie dialogue with instrumental "oompah-oompah" based songs played by electronica band O.M.F.O. that sound meant to simulate nondescript foreign music. Those easily offended may want to skip "In My Country There Is Problem (Throw The Jew Down The Well)."

The 2005 Rough Guide to the Music of Balkan Gypsies remains the definitive sampler, but for
white guys who want to get their toes wet, most of the nine Gypsy tunes on this CD are
pretty wild. For those who find the harshly soulful Esma Redzepova opener too esoteric,
Fanfare Ciocarlia follow with a Steppenwolf cover, and Sacha Baron Cohen's two
unforgiving satirical numbers -- "You Be My Wife" and the legendary "In My Count... More >