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.
ZEN
Coenie De Villiers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Haar hare swart soos wier
Sy skryf vir my 'n haikoe
Met 'n kwas op wit papier
Haar mond is 'n rooi papawer
Haar tande wit en klein
Haar voete en haar hande
Die draak op haar kimono
Is al wat sy besit
"Ek het niks, en niks het my nie"
sê sy wat eenkant sit
Sy's 'n raaisel sonder antwoord
Sy's onmoontlik om te ken
Sy's die weerkaatsing in 'n spieël
Sy's onmiskenbaar zen
Haar vel is glad soos marmer
Die kleur van neutmuskaat
Haar glimlag is onpeilbaar
Sonder liefde, sonder haat
Sy lees die Kama Sutra
En lag dan in haar mou
Sê - as jy daarna uitvra -
"Ek kon as ek net wou"
Ek vermoed haar naam is Lotus
Maar wie sal werklik weet?
Sy lag as mens haar uitvra
Sê sy't haar naam vergeet
Sy's 'n raaisel sonder antwoord
Sy's onmoontlik om te ken
Sy's die weerkaatsing in 'n spieël
Sy's onmiskenbaar zen
The lyrics to Coenie De Villiers's song Zen, describe a mysterious and enigmatic woman who is almost impossible to know or understand. Her physical attributes are described in detail, with comparisons made to natural elements of the earth such as almonds, seaweed, and poppies. She communicates with the singer through a haiku written with a brush on white paper. The woman is dressed in a kimono that has a dragon on it, and it's all that she owns.
The singer suspects the woman's name is Lotus, but she laughs it off and says she has forgotten her name. She reads the Kama Sutra and laughs it off too, suggesting that she could do it if she wanted to. She is a puzzle without an answer, a reflection in a mirror, and unmistakably zen.
The song creates an aura of mystery around the woman, making it difficult to understand her intentions or nature. The lyrics imply that she is a free-spirit but also suggest that she may have a deeper and more profound understanding of the world. The song takes the listener on a journey of trying to understand this woman who is almost untouchable and enigmatic.
Line by Line Meaning
Haar oë is bruin amandels
Her eyes are brown almonds
Haar hare swart soos wier
Her hair is black like seaweed
Sy skryf vir my 'n haikoe
She writes a haiku for me
Met 'n kwas op wit papier
With a brush on white paper
Haar mond is 'n rooi papawer
Her mouth is a red poppy
Haar tande wit en klein
Her teeth are white and small
Haar voete en haar hande
Her feet and her hands
Is wit soos porselein
Are white like porcelain
Die draak op haar kimono
The dragon on her kimono
Is al wat sy besit
Is all that she owns
"Ek het niks, en niks het my nie"
"I have nothing, and nothing has me,"
sê sy wat eenkant sit
she says while sitting off to the side
Sy's 'n raaisel sonder antwoord
She is a riddle without an answer
Sy's onmoontlik om te ken
She is impossible to know
Sy's die weerkaatsing in 'n spieël
She is the reflection in a mirror
Sy's onmiskenbaar zen
She is unmistakably zen
Haar vel is glad soos marmer
Her skin is smooth like marble
Die kleur van neutmuskaat
The color of nutmeg
Haar glimlag is onpeilbaar
Her smile is unfathomable
Sonder liefde, sonder haat
Without love, without hate
Sy lees die Kama Sutra
She reads the Kama Sutra
En lag dan in haar mou
And then laughs into her sleeve
Sê - as jy daarna uitvra -
She says - if you ask about it -
"Ek kon as ek net wou"
"I could if I wanted to"
Ek vermoed haar naam is Lotus
I suspect her name is Lotus
Maar wie sal werklik weet?
But who will truly know?
Sy lag as mens haar uitvra
She laughs when one asks her
Sê sy't haar naam vergeet
Saying she has forgotten her name
Contributed by Peyton C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.