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.
Spoetnik
Coenie De Villiers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oor die strate van my jeug
Ek is kaalvoet en dra kortbroek
En my wêreld is vol deug
Daar is orde in my heelal
My ganse woonbuurt wit
Sondae gaan ek kerk toe waar ek psalms sing en bid
En die townships was vergete
Was ek regtig so onskuldig
Het ‘n kind dan geen gewete nie?
Die verlede is ‘n ander land, oor die Rubicon aan die ander kant
Lyk my lewe soveel anders
Lyk my lewe soveel anders
Uwabone amadimoni (Chosi ma, chosi ma)
Uwabone amadimoni (Chosi ma, khwela)
Die straatlig maak ‘n kegel
Waar miljoene motte draai (Uwabone amadimoni)
Ons steel vrugte by die buurman
Wat vermoed ek goed kan raai (Uwabone amadimoni)
Dat die kinders in sy donker tuin, sy appelkose skaai (Uwabone amadimoni)
Maar daar’s geen heinings om sy huis nie (Uwabone amadimoni)
Geen alarms wat verraai nie
Daar was ‘n Sputnik in die hemel
En die townships was vergete
Was ek regtig so onskuldig
Het ‘n kind dan geen gewete nie?
Die verlede is ‘n ander land, oor die Rubicon aan die ander kant
Lyk my lewe soveel anders
Lyk my lewe soveel anders
Uwabone amadimoni (Chosi ma, chosi ma)
Uwabone amadimoni (Chosi ma, khwela)
Ons hoor iemand skiet ‘n president
Maar dis ver en raak ons min
Ek speel eenvoudig met my Dinky toys
In ‘n stad wat ek versin
Waar almal net soos ek lyk (Uwabone amadimoni)
Ons is almal Afrikaans
Daar is reëls hier in my dorpie (Uwabone amadimoni)
Dis ‘n wêreld vol balans
Daar was ‘n Sputnik in die hemel
En die townships was vergete
Was ek regtig so onskuldig
Het ‘n kind dan geen gewete nie?
Die verlede is ‘n ander land, oor die Rubicon aan die ander kant
Lyk die lewe soveel anders
Lyk die lewe soveel anders
The lyrics to Coenie De Villiers's song "Spoetnik" portray a nostalgic and innocent view of the artist's childhood. It starts by describing a pomelo hanging fresh and fragrant over the streets of his youth. The artist reminisces about his carefree days, walking barefoot and wearing shorts, with a world full of goodness surrounding him. He mentions the order in his universe, with his entire neighborhood being white and peaceful. On Sundays, he attends church, where he sings psalms and prays.
However, amidst this idyllic scene, there was a Russian satellite, Sputnik, in the sky, symbolizing a divide between different worlds. The townships, where marginalized communities lived, seemed forgotten and distant. The artist questions whether he was truly so innocent and if a child has no conscience. He reflects on how the past feels like a different country, beyond the Rubicon, and how life appears so different now.
The song then transitions to a Zulu chant, where the lyrics speak about the streetlight casting a cone of light where millions of moths gather. The children steal fruit from the neighbor's garden, aware that their actions are suspicious. There are no fences or alarms around the neighbor's house, providing an open invitation for their mischief.
The chorus repeats the sentiment of the Sputnik in the sky and the forgotten townships. The artist questions his innocence and whether a child has a conscience. The last verse mentions the distant news of someone shooting a president, but it feels far from their reality. The artist simplifies life, playing with Dinky toys in a city he conjures in his imagination. He emphasizes that everyone in his community looks the same, all Afrikaans, and that there are rules in his village, creating a world of balance.
Line by Line Meaning
‘n Pomelomaan hang varsgemunt
A moon hangs freshly minted
Oor die strate van my jeug
Over the streets of my youth
Ek is kaalvoet en dra kortbroek
I am barefoot and wearing shorts
En my wêreld is vol deug
And my world is full of virtue
Daar is orde in my heelal
There is order in my universe
My ganse woonbuurt wit
My whole neighborhood is white
Sondae gaan ek kerk toe waar ek psalms sing en bid
On Sundays I go to church where I sing psalms and pray
Daar was ‘n Sputnik in die hemel
There was a Sputnik in the sky
En die townships was vergete
And the townships were forgotten
Was ek regtig so onskuldig
Was I really so innocent?
Het ‘n kind dan geen gewete nie?
Does a child have no conscience?
Die verlede is ‘n ander land, oor die Rubicon aan die ander kant
The past is another country, across the Rubicon on the other side
Lyk my lewe soveel anders
Seems like my life is so different
Uwabone amadimoni (Chosi ma, chosi ma)
Have you seen demons (Chosi ma, chosi ma)
Uwabone amadimoni (Chosi ma, khwela)
Have you seen demons (Chosi ma, khwela)
Die straatlig maak ‘n kegel
The streetlight makes a cone
Waar miljoene motte draai (Uwabone amadimoni)
Where millions of moths fly (Have you seen demons)
Ons steel vrugte by die buurman
We steal fruits from the neighbor
Wat vermoed ek goed kan raai (Uwabone amadimoni)
Which I suspect knows well (Have you seen demons)
Dat die kinders in sy donker tuin, sy appelkose skaai (Uwabone amadimoni)
That the children in his dark garden steal his apricots (Have you seen demons)
Maar daar’s geen heinings om sy huis nie (Uwabone amadimoni)
But there are no fences around his house (Have you seen demons)
Geen alarms wat verraai nie
No alarms that betray
Ons hoor iemand skiet ‘n president
We hear someone shoots a president
Maar dis ver en raak ons min
But it's far and affects us little
Ek speel eenvoudig met my Dinky toys
I simply play with my Dinky toys
In ‘n stad wat ek versin
In a city that I imagine
Waar almal net soos ek lyk (Uwabone amadimoni)
Where everyone looks just like me (Have you seen demons)
Ons is almal Afrikaans
We're all Afrikaans
Daar is reëls hier in my dorpie (Uwabone amadimoni)
There are rules here in my town (Have you seen demons)
Dis ‘n wêreld vol balans
It's a world full of balance
Lyk die lewe soveel anders
Seems like life is so different
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind