Иоанн Whiteford & the Pips

A big ol’ white boy from a lil ol’ Mission in Texas is gonna be representin’ in Russia next week. (Look for him in the pics; he’ll “be the guy with the robes and the beard.”) In honour of this historic occasion, Ladies & Gentlemen, here’s John Whiteford & the Pips:

Midnight Train to Russia

Are Ooo Cee Aye … ‘s been good for the man,

But he’s leavin’ the life he’s come to know,

He said he’s goin’ back to find

Ooh, what’s left of the Church,

That Church they left behind

Not so long ago.

He’s leaving,

On that midnight train to Russia,

And he’s goin’ back

To a brighter place this time.

Pray God be with him

On that midnight train to Russia,

He’s gonna commune with him in this world

And pray God nourish this Vine.

He kept prayin’

That someday they’d come this far.

But he sure found out the hard way

That dreams don’t always come true.

So he poured out all his hopes

and never shrank from a spar

Bought some two way ticket packs

To the life he once knew,

Oh yes he did,

He said he would

Be leavin

On that midnight train to Russia,

But he’s comin’ back

To a brighter place this time.

And our prayers are with him

On that midnight train to Russia,

He’s gonna commune with them in this world

To grow toward that one in Thine.

Go, gonna board, gonna board,

Gonna board the midnight train …

Original lyrics source.

Pic is from 2001: Fr John and his Godson (my son), Basil.