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.
Amber
Coenie De Villiers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Loop die spoor deur jare na
Elke antwoord baar ‘n vraag
En daar is reeds ‘n duisend vrae
Maar ek soek steeds onverpoosd
Al bly die wysheid my ontwyk
En ek hou steeds goeie moed
Waar die raaisel homself oplos
En die spieël uiteindelik bars
En ek die waarheid straks kan vasvang
Soos ‘n skelet in oer-ou hars
The lyrics to Coenie De Villiers's song Amber are reflective and introspective, with the singer exploring their own thirst for knowledge and the mysteries of the world. The opening line, "Ek verken ‘n duisend boeke" translates to "I explore a thousand books", indicating the singer's willingness to learn and discover. They continue to "loop die spoor deur jare na", or follow the trail through the years, searching for answers to questions that only lead to more questions.
Despite the elusive nature of wisdom, the singer remains determined to find the truth. They remain "onverpoosd", or relentless, in their pursuit, and maintain "goeie moed", or good spirits. They hope to "bereik" the eindpunt, or endpoint, where they can finally solve the "raaisel", or puzzle, of life. They believe that when they reach this point, the "spieël", or mirror, will finally "bars", or shatter, revealing the truth that they have been seeking. They want to capture this truth "soos ‘n skelet in oer-ou hars", or like a skeleton in ancient amber.
These lyrics speak to the universal human desire for knowledge and understanding. They reflect on the idea that the pursuit of wisdom is never-ending, but that it's worth the effort to continue searching. The hopeful tone throughout the song encourages listeners to keep looking for answers, even when they seem out of reach.
Line by Line Meaning
Ek verken ‘n duisend boeke
I explore a thousand books
Loop die spoor deur jare na
I walk the trail through years gone by
Elke antwoord baar ‘n vraag
Each answer births a question
En daar is reeds ‘n duisend vrae
And there are already a thousand questions
Maar ek soek steeds onverpoosd
But I still search tirelessly
Al bly die wysheid my ontwyk
Even though wisdom eludes me
En ek hou steeds goeie moed
And I still hold good spirits
Dat ek die eindpunt sal bereik
That I will reach the end point
Waar die raaisel homself oplos
Where the riddle solves itself
En die spieël uiteindelik bars
And the mirror finally shatters
En ek die waarheid straks kan vasvang
And I can capture the truth later
Soos ‘n skelet in oer-ou hars
Like a skeleton in ancient resin
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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