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.
Vera
Coenie De Villiers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kyk uit oor die karrige tuin
Waar ‘n enkele boom nog sy blare
In die snerpende wind laat verbuin
Die deur is gegrendel van buite
Die veiligheidsknip is ook vas
Daar's tralies gespan voor die ruite
Die fluweel van haar rok is te dun
Om die koue finaal te verdryf
Sy voel hoe die winter daar buite
Sy intrek kom neem in haar lyf
Vera sing haar laaste wals
Sy neurie dit sag en effens vals
En die alombekende drieslag maat
Word opnuut ‘n vertelling van liefde en haat
Sy sing van die pyn wat slegs minaars verstaan
As die hartstog verdof en die droom begin taam
Sy sing van die drifters en 'n man en sy vrou
Van hoe moeilik die liefde sy onskuld behou
Ja Vera sing haar laaste wals
Want sy voel reeds die tou om haar hals
Ja Vera sing haar laaste wals
Want sy voel reeds die tou om haar hals
Haar naam was op al die biljette
Sangeres vermoor minnaar met mes
Die regter was onsimpatiek
En veroordeel haar net soos die res
Haar pleidooi is verwerp en vergete
Sy dra alleen al die blaam
Ja die daad is genoodsaak deur passie
Maar was deels ook tewyte aan faam
En so betaal Vera die prys
Vir die klimaks, die oomblik van waan
Vir die drif wat ‘n sanger ‘n ster maak, dink Vera
Maar daar's min wat verstaan
Vera sing haar laaste wals
Sy neurie dit sag, sy neurie dit vals
En die alombekende drieslag maat
Word opnuut ‘n vertelling van liefde en haat
Sy sing van die pyn wat slegs minaars verstaan
As die hartstog verdof en die droom begin taam
Sy sing van die drifters en 'n man en sy vrou
Van hoe moeilik die liefde sy onskuld behou
Ja Vera sing haar laaste wals
Want sy voel reeds die tou om haar hals
Ja Vera sing haar laaste wals
Want sy voel reeds die tou om haar hals
The lyrics of Coenie De Villiers's song "Vera" depict a woman named Vera who stands by the window, looking out over a desolate garden where a solitary tree still clings to its withering leaves in the biting wind. The imagery symbolizes Vera's isolation and the harshness of her reality. The door is locked from the outside, and there are bars on the windows, trapping her inside. Underneath the bed stands her bag, suggesting a sense of preparedness or perhaps a desperate escape plan.
Vera's velvet skirt is too thin to ward off the cold, and she feels the winter creeping into her body, symbolizing her loss of warmth and vitality. She sings her last waltz, her voice soft and slightly off-key. The familiar three-beat rhythm becomes a narrative of love and hate once again. She sings of the pain that only lovers understand when passion fades and dreams start to fade away. Vera sings of drifters, of a man and his wife, and how difficult it is for love to retain its innocence.
The lyrics reveal that Vera's name was on all the bills, indicating her fame as a singer. She murdered her lover with a knife, and the unsympathetic judge condemns her just like everyone else. Her plea is rejected and forgotten, and she carries the blame alone. The act was driven by passion but also partly due to fame. Vera pays the price for the climax, the fleeting moment of illusion, for the passion that turns a singer into a star, though few understand the complexities behind it.
Overall, "Vera" explores themes of isolation, imprisonment, lost dreams, and the price of fame. It highlights the pain and struggle in love, the duality of human emotions, and the consequences that come with passion and fame.
Line by Line Meaning
Vera gaan staan by die venster
Vera stands by the window
Kyk uit oor die karrige tuin
Looking out over the barren garden
Waar ‘n enkele boom nog sy blare
Where a single tree still lets its leaves wither
In die snerpende wind laat verbuin
In the chilling wind letting them decay
Die deur is gegrendel van buite
The door is locked from the outside
Die veiligheidsknip is ook vas
The safety latch is also secured
Daar's tralies gespan voor die ruite
Bars are placed in front of the windows
En onder die bed staan haar tas
And under the bed stands her bag
Die fluweel van haar rok is te dun
The velvet of her skirt is too thin
Om die koue finaal te verdryf
To finally banish the cold
Sy voel hoe die winter daar buite
She feels how the winter outside
Sy intrek kom neem in haar lyf
Enters and takes hold of her body
Vera sing haar laaste wals
Vera sings her last waltz
Sy neurie dit sag en effens vals
She hums it softly, slightly off-key
En die alombekende drieslag maat
And the well-known triple time beat
Word opnuut ‘n vertelling van liefde en haat
Becomes a storytelling of love and hate once again
Sy sing van die pyn wat slegs minaars verstaan
She sings of the pain that only lovers understand
As die hartstog verdof en die droom begin taam
When the passion fades and the dream begins to fade
Sy sing van die drifters en 'n man en sy vrou
She sings of the wanderers and a man and his wife
Van hoe moeilik die liefde sy onskuld behou
Of how difficult love keeps its innocence
Ja Vera sing haar laaste wals
Yes, Vera sings her last waltz
Want sy voel reeds die tou om haar hals
Because she already feels the rope around her neck
Haar naam was op al die biljette
Her name was on all the bills
Sangeres vermoor minnaar met mes
Singer murders lover with a knife
Die regter was onsimpatiek
The judge was unsympathetic
En veroordeel haar net soos die res
And condemns her just like the rest
Haar pleidooi is verwerp en vergete
Her plea is rejected and forgotten
Sy dra alleen al die blaam
She carries all the blame alone
Ja die daad is genoodsaak deur passie
Yes, the deed is necessitated by passion
Maar was deels ook tewyte aan faam
But was partly also due to fame
En so betaal Vera die prys
And so Vera pays the price
Vir die klimaks, die oomblik van waan
For the climax, the moment of illusion
Vir die drif wat ‘n sanger ‘n ster maak, dink Vera
For the passion that makes a singer a star, Vera thinks
Maar daar's min wat verstaan
But there are few who understand
Ja Vera sing haar laaste wals
Yes, Vera sings her last waltz
Sy neurie dit sag, sy neurie dit vals
She hums it softly, she hums it falsely
En die alombekende drieslag maat
And the well-known triple time beat
Word opnuut ‘n vertelling van liefde en haat
Becomes a storytelling of love and hate once again
Sy sing van die pyn wat slegs minaars verstaan
She sings of the pain that only lovers understand
As die hartstog verdof en die droom begin taam
When the passion fades and the dream begins to fade
Sy sing van die drifters en 'n man en sy vrou
She sings of the wanderers and a man and his wife
Van hoe moeilik die liefde sy onskuld behou
Of how difficult love keeps its innocence
Ja Vera sing haar laaste wals
Yes, Vera sings her last waltz
Want sy voel reeds die tou om haar hals
Because she already feels the rope around her neck
Ja Vera sing haar laaste wals
Yes, Vera sings her last waltz
Want sy voel reeds die tou om haar hals
Because she already feels the rope around her neck
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind