Born in Bloemfontein, South Africa, Coenie was educated at University of the Free State in Bloemfontein majoring in media studies where he later on lectured in the Communications faculty. He has always viewed his musical career as his second vocation. He is also a classically trained pianist. Coenie is the anchor presenter in popular South African kykNET journal program "Kwela".
During the late 1980s, Coenie spent a few years in self-imposed exile in Cyprus. Coenie has also performed in New Zealand, Canada, the Netherlands, Belgium, and the United Kingdom.
Coenie signed with Mountain Records in 1983, and recorded his debut album, Skoppensboer, working with producer, Patrick Lee-Thorp and engineer, Kevin Shirley, in the same year. He subsequently recorded 4 albums for the label many of which won industry awards. In addition he contributed to label compilations of his work. Since leaving Mountain Records he has recorded a number of one off projects for different labels.
Coenie lived on the island of Cyprus during the eighties and nineties. He wrote, recorded and produced the album Amper Alleen in Cyprus and in Athens, Greece. Amper Alleen was the second SA album to be released on CD. Coenie and his family returned to South Africa after the release of Nelson Mandela and the unbanning of the ANC. He released Hartland, an album which included a vocal performance by Lesley Rae Dowling.
Aandrus se Stoep
Coenie De Villiers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Na kerk oor 'n koppie tee
En soms, net soms op 'n weeksdag
Om hul gewetes skoon te vee
Haar kinders daarinteen
Is oor die wêreld heen versprei
En soms sal sy 'n poskaart
En hier op die stoep van Aandrus
Waar die son oor hulle voete lê
Is daar 'n plek vir onthou
Maar bitter min om te sê
Malie sit eers neer die breiwerk
Sê en hy vat aan haar hand
Jy weet ek is 'n man van min woorde
Maar kom ons maak 'n nuwe band
Jy sien deur my oë se agtien
En ek dink jy sal altyd so bly
Aansky jy die vleur van jou lewe
Is vir goed en vir ewig verby
Die hande wat krom op jou skoot lê
Is mooi soos die maan op die see
En Malie die grys in jou hare
Sou ek graag van jou voorkop wou vee
Die tyd het ons albei ingehaal
En die bietjie wat oorbly is min
Sal jy dalk hier langs my kom lê?
Speel dis 'n nuwe begin?
As ek jonk was sou ek jou kon skilder
Op 'n bed met 'n blom in jou hand
Maar my oë's moeg liewe Malie
En my kwaste is lank reeds verband
Kom lê dus vanaand in my arms
En verbeel jou my lyf is weer jonk
Dan gee ek vir jou wat ek oor het
Al is my vuur net 'n vonk
Kom behaag tog die liefde vir oulaas
Voor sy hitte vir altyd verdwyn
Want soms word dit beter en soeter
Soos dit is met 'n baie ou wyn
In die Aandruste huis vir bejaardes
Sit Malie en hy in die son
En weet dat die lyf ook wil jonk bly
As dit soos die liefde net kom
Kom behaag dan die liefde vir oulaas
Sê sy en sy bloos soos 'n kind
Maar tot nou toe het ek nog geglo
Dat net jeug nog die liefde kan vind
Kom blaas op die kole vir oulaas
Maak die vonk met jou liefde 'n vuur
Want die tyd wat nog oor is vervas al
Is nie lank nie maar al is dit 'n uur
Is dit meer as wat ek kon verwag het
Is dit wels om op laas teen die pyn
Want ek glo dit word beter en soeter
Soos dit is met 'n baie ou wyn
The lyrics of Coenie De Villiers's song "Aandrus se Stoep" paint a poignant picture of a couple, Malie and the singer, reflecting on the passing of time and the fleeting nature of life. The song begins with a description of the singer observing his children gathering on Sundays after church for a cup of tea, a routine that helps cleanse their consciences. In contrast, Malie's children are scattered across the world, and she occasionally receives postcards from them.
The chorus reflects their shared space on the stoep (veranda) of their home, called Aandrus, where the sun gently shines on their feet. It is a place for remembering, but with little to say. The couple sits together, with Malie working on her knitting, and the singer, who admits to being a man of few words, suggests building a new bond. He sees the sparkle in Malie's eyes, reminiscent of when she was eighteen, and believes that happiness will always radiate from her.
The next verse continues with the singer praising Malie's beauty, describing her hands resting gently on her lap as resembling the moon on the sea. He expresses his desire to wipe away the gray in her hair from her forehead. Both the singer and Malie feel that time has caught up with them, and the remaining moments are scarce. The singer wonders if Malie would consider lying next to him, suggesting the possibility of a new beginning.
The following verse reflects on their shared memories and the singer's longing to capture Malie's youth in a painting. However, he acknowledges his tired eyes and the fact that his brushes have long been put away. Despite this, he invites Malie to lie in his arms, imagining his body to be youthful once more, and promises to give her whatever he has left, even if his fire is just a spark.
The chorus is repeated, emphasizing the plea to indulge in love one last time before it fades away forever. The singer admits that sometimes, love becomes better and sweeter with time, just like an aged wine. The setting now shifts to the Aandruste house for the elderly, where Malie and the singer sit in the sun and reflect on the desire for the body to remain young, just as love does when it comes.
Malie confesses her longing for love one last time, blushing like a child, challenging the singer's belief that only youth can find love. The final verse encourages Malie to ignite the fire one last time, transforming the spark of their love into a passionate flame. The singer acknowledges that their remaining time may be short, perhaps just an hour or even less, but ponders if it will surpass his expectations. He believes that the pain of the present can evolve into something better and sweeter, much like the maturing process of a well-aged wine.
Line by Line Meaning
Hy sien sy kinders op Sondae
He sees his children on Sundays
Na kerk oor 'n koppie tee
After church over a cup of tea
En soms, net soms op 'n weeksdag
And sometimes, just sometimes on a weekday
Om hul gewetes skoon te vee
To cleanse their consciences
Haar kinders daarinteen
Her children, on the other hand
Is oor die wêreld heen versprei
Are scattered across the world
En soms sal sy 'n poskaart
And sometimes she will receive a postcard
Langs 'n bord op die tafel kry
Next to a plate on the table
En hier op die stoep van Aandrus
And here on the stoep of Aandrus
Waar die son oor hulle voete lê
Where the sun rests on their feet
Is daar 'n plek vir onthou
There is a place for memories
Maar bitter min om te sê
But very little to say
Malie sit eers neer die breiwerk
Malie sits down with her knitting
Sê en hy vat aan haar hand
Saying as he holds her hand
Jy weet ek is 'n man van min woorde
You know I am a man of few words
Maar kom ons maak 'n nuwe band
But let's make a new bond
Jy sien deur my oë se agtien
You see through my eighteen-year-old eyes
En ek dink jy sal altyd so bly
And I think you will always be happy
Aansky jy die vleur van jou lewe
Do you see the highlight of your life
Is vir goed en vir ewig verby
Is forever gone
Die hande wat krom op jou skoot lê
The hands that lay curved on your lap
Is mooi soos die maan op die see
Are as beautiful as the moon on the sea
En Malie die grys in jou hare
And Malie, the gray in your hair
Sou ek graag van jou voorkop wou vee
I would like to wipe it off your forehead
Die tyd het ons albei ingehaal
Time has caught up with both of us
En die bietjie wat oorbly is min
And the little that remains is scarce
Sal jy dalk hier langs my kom lê?
Will you perhaps lie here next to me?
Speel dis 'n nuwe begin?
Is this a new beginning?
As ek jonk was sou ek jou kon skilder
If I were young, I could paint you
Op 'n bed met 'n blom in jou hand
On a bed with a flower in your hand
Maar my oë's moeg liewe Malie
But my eyes are tired, dear Malie
En my kwaste is lank reeds verband
And my brushes have long been put away
Kom lê dus vanaand in my arms
So come lie in my arms tonight
En verbeel jou my lyf is weer jonk
And imagine my body is young again
Dan gee ek vir jou wat ek oor het
Then I will give you what I have left
Al is my vuur net 'n vonk
Even if my fire is just a spark
Kom behaag tog die liefde vir oulaas
Please let love please us one last time
Voor sy hitte vir altyd verdwyn
Before its heat disappears forever
Want soms word dit beter en soeter
Because sometimes it gets better and sweeter
Soos dit is met 'n baie ou wyn
Just like with a very old wine
In die Aandruste huis vir bejaardes
In the Aandrus retirement home
Sit Malie en hy in die son
Malie sits with him in the sun
En weet dat die lyf ook wil jonk bly
And knows that the body also wants to stay young
As dit soos die liefde net kom
If it only comes like love does
Kom behaag dan die liefde vir oulaas
Please let love please us one last time
Sê sy en sy bloos soos 'n kind
She says and blushes like a child
Maar tot nou toe het ek nog geglo
But until now I still believed
Dat net jeug nog die liefde kan vind
That only youth can find love
Kom blaas op die kole vir oulaas
Come blow on the embers one last time
Maak die vonk met jou liefde 'n vuur
Ignite the spark with your love into a fire
Want die tyd wat nog oor is vervas al
Because the time that remains is already dwindling
Is nie lank nie maar al is dit 'n uur
It's not long, but even if it's an hour
Is dit meer as wat ek kon verwag het
It's more than what I could have expected
Is dit wels om op laas teen die pyn
It's good to face the pain in the end
Want ek glo dit word beter en soeter
Because I believe it gets better and sweeter
Soos dit is met 'n baie ou wyn
Just like with a very old wine
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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