Coenie de Villiers (Coenraad Grabe de Villiers), born 11 October 1956, is a… Read Full Bio ↴Coenie de Villiers (Coenraad Grabe de Villiers), born 11 October 1956, is a South African singer/songwriter, pianist, pop artist who sings in his mother tongue, Afrikaans. If any comparison was required, Coenie's music is best compared to the pop/rock of Herbert Groenemeyer (German language) or Billy Joel (USA English language).

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.

Alles Wat Leef
Coenie De Villiers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Als wat leef moet eendag sterf
'n Blom, 'n boom, selfs die hoogste berg
Moet eendag voor die winde swig
En vlakte word, dis die tyd se plig

So word die bos se blare mom
Word 'n stomp gebrand in vuur
Word sneeu weer immers water

Ja, daar's min wat langer duur

Dus skryf ek teen die donker in, elke woord word 'n nuwe begin
Want jy sien, opsluit is 'n song uit jou pen, 'n manier om die dood te ken
'n Manier om die tyd te wen

As jy kyk is die son reeds oud
Oor die gang van tyd word hy koud
Al wat is gaan eendag dood, selfs die vrug in 'n vrou se skoot

So is dit ook met die liefde
Wie wil glo dat dit eendag sal taan
Dit maak die liefde juis kosbaar
As jy weet dat dit ook sal vergaan

Dus skryf ek teen die donker in, elke woord word 'n nuwe begin

Want jy sien, opsluit is 'n song uit jou pen, 'n manier om die dood te ken
'n Manier om tyd te wen

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Coenie De Villiers's song "Alles Wat Leef" speaks about the inevitability of death and the transience of life. The opening lines, "Als wat leef moet eendag sterf, 'n Blom, 'n boom, selfs die hoogste berg" (All that lives must one day die, a flower, a tree, even the tallest mountain), illustrate the idea that everything in this world, no matter how great or small, will eventually come to an end. The following lines discuss how the passing of time can transform even the most stable and enduring things, such as forests and snow.

The singer then turns his attention to the power of writing and art in the face of mortality. He writes, "Dus skryf ek teen die donker in, elke woord word 'n nuwe begin" (So I write against the darkness, every word becomes a new beginning). The act of writing becomes a way to cheat death and to create something lasting. By writing a song, the singer is able to confront the reality of death and perhaps make some sense of it.

The final verse brings in the theme of love and how it too is subject to the ravages of time. "So is dit ook met die liefde, Wie wil glo dat dit eendag sal taan" (So it is also with love, who wants to believe that it will one day crumble). The idea here is that love is made even more precious by its fragility and the knowledge that it may not last forever. Once again, the singer turns to writing as a way of preserving something that might otherwise be lost to time.

Line by Line Meaning

Als wat leef moet eendag sterf
Everything that lives must one day die

'n Blom, 'n boom, selfs die hoogste berg
A flower, a tree, even the tallest mountain

Moet eendag voor die winde swig
Must one day bow to the winds

En vlakte word, dis die tyd se plig
And become a plain, it's the duty of time

So word die bos se blare mom
So the leaves of the forest become humus

Word 'n stomp gebrand in vuur
Become a stump burned in fire

Word sneeu weer immers water
Snow becomes water again

Ja, daar's min wat langer duur
Yes, there are few things that last longer

Dus skryf ek teen die donker in, elke woord word 'n nuwe begin
So I write against the darkness, every word becomes a new beginning

Want jy sien, opsluit is 'n song uit jou pen, 'n manier om die dood te ken
Because you see, confinement is a song from your pen, a way to know death

'n Manier om die tyd te wen
A way to win time