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.
My Tafel
Coenie De Villiers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hy kom uit skemer woude wat hy hoeka moes verlaat
Om plek te maak vir almal wat gereeld om hom vergader
So tafel bring geliefdes wat aansit almal nader
My tafel ken die stories wat almal kom vertel
Hier is daar geen skanse nie en min wat mense kwel
Wanneer ons by hom aansit en my pa die glase vul
My pa bid paternoster soos net 'n pa kan bid
Ja, so vra hy die seën vir almal wat hier sit
Om 'n tafel wat nog droom van die hemel hoog daarbo
Van die winde in sy takke, want dis wat die hout steeds glo
My tafel is 'n eiland in die see van my gesin
Hy weet hoe elkeen kan ontrafel en hoe elkeen kan bemin
My tafel luister mee na die gesprekke wat ons hou
Ken die getye van ons lewens, wat ons vier en dit wat ons berou
My pa bid paternoster soos net 'n pa kan bid
Ja, so vra hy die seën vir almal wat hier sit
Om 'n tafel wat nog droom van die hemel hoog daarbo
Van die winde in sy takke, want dis wat die hout steeds glo
The lyrics of Coenie De Villiers's song "My Tafel" tell the story of a special table that holds deep meaning and significance for the singer and his loved ones. The table is made of yellowwood, shimmering like nutmeg, which adds to its allure and charm. The table originates from dense and shadowed forests, where it had to leave its familiar surroundings behind to make room for those who gather around it. This table serves as a meeting place, bringing together loved ones and drawing them closer.
The table is portrayed as a keeper of stories, as everyone who sits around it shares their tales. It is a place where there are no walls or barriers, and few worries trouble those in its presence. As the singer's father fills the glasses and invites everyone to join hands, a temporary silence falls over the table, encouraging gratitude and reflection.
The singer's father leads a prayer, a paternoster, asking for blessings for all those seated at the table. They seek the blessings of a table that still dreams of the heavens above and carries within it the belief in the enduring power of the winds that rustle its branches.
The table is likened to an island in the sea of the singer's family, understanding how each member can unravel and love one another. It diligently listens to the conversations held around it and understands the rhythm of their lives, both in times of celebration and regret.
Overall, "My Tafel" is a heartfelt tribute to a table that holds immense sentimental value and serves as a gathering place for kinship, storytelling, reflection, and prayer.
Line by Line Meaning
My tafel is van geelhout wat glim soos neutmuskaat
My table is made of yellowwood that gleams like nutmeg
Hy kom uit skemer woude wat hy hoeka moes verlaat
It comes from twilight forests it had to leave behind
Om plek te maak vir almal wat gereeld om hom vergader
To make room for everyone who regularly gathers around it
So tafel bring geliefdes wat aansit almal nader
So the table brings loved ones closer as they sit down
My tafel ken die stories wat almal kom vertel
My table knows the stories that everyone comes to tell
Hier is daar geen skanse nie en min wat mense kwel
Here there are no barriers and few things that trouble people
Wanneer ons by hom aansit en my pa die glase vul
When we sit down at it and my dad fills the glasses
Nooi hy almal, vat nou hande en word kortstondig stil
He invites everyone, takes their hands, and becomes momentarily quiet
My pa bid paternoster soos net 'n pa kan bid
My dad says the Lord's Prayer like only a father can
Ja, so vra hy die seën vir almal wat hier sit
Yes, he asks for the blessing for everyone sitting here
Om 'n tafel wat nog droom van die hemel hoog daarbo
For a table that still dreams of heaven high above
Van die winde in sy takke, want dis wat die hout steeds glo
Of the winds in its branches, because that's what the wood still believes
My tafel is 'n eiland in die see van my gesin
My table is an island in the sea of my family
Hy weet hoe elkeen kan ontrafel en hoe elkeen kan bemin
It knows how to unravel each one and how to love each one
My tafel luister mee na die gesprekke wat ons hou
My table listens along to the conversations we have
Ken die getye van ons lewens, wat ons vier en dit wat ons berou
Knows the tides of our lives, what we celebrate and what we regret
My pa bid paternoster soos net 'n pa kan bid
My dad says the Lord's Prayer like only a father can
Ja, so vra hy die seën vir almal wat hier sit
Yes, he asks for the blessing for everyone sitting here
Om 'n tafel wat nog droom van die hemel hoog daarbo
For a table that still dreams of heaven high above
Van die winde in sy takke, want dis wat die hout steeds glo
Of the winds in its branches, because that's what the wood still believes
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind