Волки и вороны [Volki i vorony] [English translation]

Maybe It is God or maybe simply the night smells of churchly incense.

And around there is tall forest that is dark and mossy.

Maybe it's a grace, but maybe it’s an ambush against us;

It’s merrily to the touch and a trembling in a soul.

Here people are walking with icons, but unknown icons

And lampads shine the light for them out of a dark water;

I don’t remember how we’ve stood up and how we’ve walked out of a room,

I just remember we have to go to the warm star…

Here tall church is standing, but there is darkness under the dome.

We’ve kept watching the whole time, but nothing is saw.

I would put up a candle, but all candles have been bought.

I would burn up solidify alcohol on my hand, but where can I take it?

And around us the snows lie in all four directions;

It’s so easy to walk barefoot on snow, if souls are chaste.

And we would die at all, if there were no wolves and ravens;

They asked us: Where were you going? Surely, to the warm star?

The roods have been gold-plated and have been inserted at various places excessively;

But the rood that has been given (from heavens) was traded for wine.

And in the morning with a hungover we have gone to the river for water,

But there were Mongols instead of water

And we wanted to give bright sign to the angels,

But we lost sight of them, covering up our traces;

It would be to each according to his deserts,

If there was no light of the warm star.

And so what do we have to do, how to sing, providing that only gratis?

And if we will not sing, then we will be burned up in the emptiness;

And to start singing and not to finish, in this case the eagles will come for me;

With white eyes and by troubled water.

But let them go by because I am also black bird,

Look, I can't run because there is only one meter before ices;

So, wolves and ravens, I will cover up you, and you will cover up me,

Then some of us will achieve this clear star…

Now even if there is darkness under the dome,

Even if nothing is saw?

Even if all candles have been bought,

In fact, if we haven’t got fire then we know where we can get it;

Maybe  this is the very truth that there are no other alternatives but well-trodden ways,

There are no other hands for miracles but only chaste hands,

But we were warmed by wolves and ravens,

And they blessed us to the clear star.

• Artist:Boris Grebenshchikov
• Album:Русский альбом (1992)