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.
Anne Frank
Coenie De Villiers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dra langs al verby
En ek leef in die dagboek
Wat konstant by my bly
Ek skryf om die vrees
Van verraad te besweer
En toe sing en lees ek
Van die wêreld daar buite
Waar kinders kan speel
En waar minnaars hul harte
En liefde kan deel
Van ‘n wêreld waar wolke
Elke grens ignoreer
Maar waar Duitse soldate
Nog Jode moet keer
Deur die boekrak en agter die muur
Daar skuil ons veilig
Weg van die vuur
Ons hoor soms die bomme, ons ruik die kordiet
Maar terwyl ons net fluister
Vermy ons verdriet
Raai, raai riepa
Raai hoe lank dit nog kan duur?
Voor verraad hier aan die deur klop
En kom sê dis nou my uur
Ek skryf oor my lewe
In Prins en Gragstraat
Ek moet leer om te fluister
Om saggies te praat
Want die mure het ore
Hulle hoor wat ons sê
En die vensters is blind
Maar hulle sien waar ons lê
Ek skryf in my dagboek
Oor my drome en hoop
Dat ek ondanks die oorlog
Weer eendag kan loop
Langs gragte wat vloei
Deur ‘n vry Amsterdam
Waar die wind deur die berge
Se blare kan kam
Deur die boekrak en agter die muur
Daar skuil ons veilig
Weg van die vuur
Ons hoor soms die bomme, ons ruik die kordiet
Maar terwyl ons net fluister
Vermy ons verdriet
Raai, raai riepa
Raai hoe lank dit nog kan duur?
Voor verraad hier aan die deur klop
En kom sê dis nou my uur
Raai, raai riepa
Raai hoe lank dit nog kan duur?
Voor verraad hier aan die deur klop
En kom sê dis nou my uur
The lyrics to Coenie De Villiers's song "Anne Frank" depict the life of Anne Frank and her experience hiding from the Nazis during World War II. The singer of the song reveals that weeks and months pass by while they live in the constant presence of their diary. Writing in the diary serves as a way to alleviate the fear of betrayal. Singing and reading become sources of learning and growth.
The lyrics further describe a world outside where children can play freely and lovers can share their hearts and love. It is a world where boundaries are disregarded, but German soldiers still oppress and prevent Jews from experiencing such love and freedom. The singer describes the safety they find behind the bookshelf and the wall, shielding them from the fire of hatred and destruction.
Despite the safety within their hiding place, they occasionally hear bombs and smell gunpowder. However, they whisper and avoid expressing their sorrow openly. The chorus of the song, "Raai, raai riepa, Raai hoe lank dit nog kan duur? Voor verraad hier aan die deur klop En kom sê dis nou my uur" (Guess, guess, reaper, guess how long it can still last? Before betrayal knocks on the door and comes to say it's now my turn), expresses the constant uncertainty and fear of being discovered and the imminent danger they face.
The singer shares their life in Prins and Gragstraat (a reference to the actual address of Anne Frank's hiding place, Prinsengracht), where they must learn to speak softly and whisper. The walls have ears, and the windows may be blind, but they can still sense their presence and vulnerability.
Through their diary, the singer expresses their dreams and hopes. They long to walk freely once again along canals flowing through a free Amsterdam and feel the wind brushing through the leaves of the mountains. They yearn for a world beyond the hiding place's confines where they can experience peace and freedom.
The song concludes with a repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the ongoing uncertainty of how much longer they can remain hidden before betrayal comes knocking and declares its arrival. It serves as a poignant reminder of the harsh reality of Anne Frank's unimaginable fate and the desperate hope for liberation from the oppression and fear that enveloped her and countless others during that dark period in history.
Line by Line Meaning
Die weke en die maande
The weeks and the months pass by
Dra langs al verby
Carrying everything along with it
En ek leef in die dagboek
And I live in the diary
Wat konstant by my bly
That constantly stays with me
Ek skryf om die vrees
I write to appease the fear
Van verraad te besweer
Of betrayal
En toe sing en lees ek
And then I sing and read
Om meer te kan leer
To learn more
Van die wêreld daar buite
About the world out there
Waar kinders kan speel
Where children can play
En waar minnaars hul harte
And where lovers can share
En liefde kan deel
Their hearts and love
Van ‘n wêreld waar wolke
About a world where clouds
Elke grens ignoreer
Ignore every border
Maar waar Duitse soldate
But where German soldiers
Nog Jode moet keer
Still have to obstruct Jews
Deur die boekrak en agter die muur
Through the bookshelf and behind the wall
Daar skuil ons veilig
There we hide safely
Weg van die vuur
Away from the fire
Ons hoor soms die bomme, ons ruik die kordiet
Sometimes we hear the bombs, we smell the gunpowder
Maar terwyl ons net fluister
But while we only whisper
Vermy ons verdriet
We avoid our sorrow
Raai, raai riepa
Guess, guess riepa
Raai hoe lank dit nog kan duur?
Guess how long this can still last?
Voor verraad hier aan die deur klop
Before betrayal knocks on this door
En kom sê dis nou my uur
And comes to say it's now my turn
Ek skryf oor my lewe
I write about my life
In Prins en Gragstraat
In Prins and Gracht Street
Ek moet leer om te fluister
I must learn to whisper
Om saggies te praat
To speak softly
Want die mure het ore
Because the walls have ears
Hulle hoor wat ons sê
They hear what we say
En die vensters is blind
And the windows are blind
Maar hulle sien waar ons lê
But they see where we lie
Ek skryf in my dagboek
I write in my diary
Oor my drome en hoop
About my dreams and hopes
Dat ek ondanks die oorlog
That despite the war
Weer eendag kan loop
I can walk again someday
Langs gragte wat vloei
Along canals that flow
Deur ‘n vry Amsterdam
Through a free Amsterdam
Waar die wind deur die berge
Where the wind through the mountains
Se blare kan kam
Can comb its leaves
Raai, raai riepa
Guess, guess riepa
Raai hoe lank dit nog kan duur?
Guess how long this can still last?
Voor verraad hier aan die deur klop
Before betrayal knocks on this door
En kom sê dis nou my uur
And comes to say it's now my turn
Raai, raai riepa
Guess, guess riepa
Raai hoe lank dit nog kan duur?
Guess how long this can still last?
Voor verraad hier aan die deur klop
Before betrayal knocks on this door
En kom sê dis nou my uur
And comes to say it's now my turn
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind