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.
Weerlig Oor Die See
Coenie De Villiers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Waar sy hart wel ‘n plek vind wat ‘n leeftyd kan duur mmm
Hulle trou in die somer en sy kook vir hom kos
Want sy weet hierdie man sal sy nimmer laat los mmm
Hulle maak toe ‘n kind wat in die herfs arriveer
Besef daar's nog veel om van mekaar te moet leer mmm
Die winter breek aan en die wolke word grys
Die Karoo was eens ‘n oseaan, die berge was eens vlei
So het ons mekaar bemin, gesweer om trou te bly
Die fosfor in die branding was eens die weerlig oor die see
Niks bly ooit dieselfde nie, selfs die liefde gee ook mee
Hulle dwaal deur die huis om mekaar te vermy
Om die kind se ontwil by mekaar te moet bly mmm
Hy's hoflik en glimlag as hy wyn vir haar skink
Hy dink sy word ouer en moet raai wat sy dink mmm
Sy onthou hoe sy hande om haar heupe kon vou
En die kind in sy arms met teerheid kon hou mmm
Sy grimeer nou versigtig om die skyn te behou
Want aan die einde van alles bly sy steeds nog ‘n vrou mmm
Die Karoo was eens ‘n oseaan, die berge was eens vlei
So het ons mekaar bemin, gesweer om trou te bly
Die fosfor in die branding was eens die weerlig oor die see
Niks bly ooit dieselfde nie, selfs die liefde gee ook mee
Hul ontmoet in die lente en hy weet dis die uur
Waar sy hart wel ‘n plek vind wat ‘n leeftyd sal duur mmm
Hulle trou in die somer en sy kook vir hom kos
Want sy weet hierdie man sal sy nimmer laat los mmm
The lyrics to Coenie De Villiers's song Weerlig Oor Die See tell the story of a couple who meets in the spring and gets married in the summer. They have a child in the fall, but as winter arrives, they find it difficult to show their love for one another. The Karoo, once an ocean, and the mountains, once plains, symbolize the changing nature of love. The couple wanders around the house, trying to avoid each other for the sake of their child. The man is courteous and pours wine for his wife, while she remembers how he used to hold their child with tenderness. She now applies makeup carefully to maintain her appearance because at the end of everything, she is still a woman.
The song is about the complexities and changes that come with a long-term relationship. The lyrics use the seasonal cycle to show how love can shift and transform. The couple in the song struggles to express their love, and the lyrics suggest that even the strongest love can be tested by time and circumstance. Despite their difficulties, the couple remains committed to their relationship, symbolized by the repeated line, "Want sy weet hierdie man sal sy nimmer laat los" ("Because she knows this man will never let her go").
Overall, Weerlig Oor Die See is a poignant and introspective portrayal of long-term love, with poetic lyrics that capture the complexity and beauty of a committed relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Hul ontmoet in die lente en hy weet dis die uur
They met in springtime and he knew it was the moment where her heart found a place that can last a lifetime.
Waar sy hart wel ‘n plek vind wat ‘n leeftyd kan duur mmm
Where her heart finds a place that can last a lifetime.
Hulle trou in die somer en sy kook vir hom kos
They marry in the summer and she cooks for him because she knows that this man will never let her go.
Want sy weet hierdie man sal sy nimmer laat los mmm
Because she knows that this man will never let her go.
Hulle maak toe ‘n kind wat in die herfs arriveer
They make a child, who arrives in autumn, realizing there is still much to learn from each other.
Besef daar's nog veel om van mekaar te moet leer mmm
Realizing there is still much to learn from each other.
Die winter breek aan en die wolke word grys
Winter arrives and the clouds turn gray.
Hulle vind dit nou moeilik om hul liefde te wys mmm
They find it difficult to express their love for each other.
Die Karoo was eens ‘n oseaan, die berge was eens vlei
The Karoo was once an ocean, the mountains were once plains.
So het ons mekaar bemin, gesweer om trou te bly
That's how we loved each other, promised to stay faithful.
Die fosfor in die branding was eens die weerlig oor die see
The phosphorus in the waves was once the lightning over the sea.
Niks bly ooit dieselfde nie, selfs die liefde gee ook mee
Nothing stays the same, even love sometimes gives in.
Hulle dwaal deur die huis om mekaar te vermy
They wander through the house to avoid each other for the sake of the child.
Om die kind se ontwil by mekaar te moet bly mmm
To stay together for the sake of the child.
Hy's hoflik en glimlag as hy wyn vir haar skink
He's polite and smiles as he pours her wine.
Hy dink sy word ouer en moet raai wat sy dink mmm
He thinks she's getting older and must guess what she thinks.
Sy onthou hoe sy hande om haar heupe kon vou
She remembers how he used to wrap his hands around her hips.
En die kind in sy arms met teerheid kon hou mmm
And hold the child in his arms with tenderness.
Sy grimeer nou versigtig om die skyn te behou
She now applies makeup carefully to maintain appearances.
Want aan die einde van alles bly sy steeds nog ‘n vrou mmm
Because at the end of it all, she is still a woman.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind