In 1987, Johannes Kerkorrel was fired by Rapport newspaper for using quotes from PW Botha's speeches in his music; he then became a full-time musician and performer under the name Johannes Kerkorrel en die Gereformeerde Blues Band (Johannes Kerkorrel and the Reformed Blues Band), a deliberate reference to the Reformed Church. The band also included the Afrikaans singer-songwriter Koos Kombuis. Their brand of new Afrikaans music was dubbed 'Alternatiewe Afrikaans' (alternative Afrikaans) and exposed divergent political views to a new generation of Afrikaners.
Kerkorrel was the only white singer who performed at the inauguration of South Africa's first democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela.
He pased away on 11 December 2002. The South African singer songwriter Valiant Swart wrote the song "Sonvanger" dedicated to the artist with Kerkorrel's mother Anne in mind, longing for her lost son.
Kerkorrel was popular in his own country as well as in Belgium.
--Discography--
Eet Kreef! (1989)
Bloudruk (1992)
Cyanide in the Beefcake (1994)
Ge-trans-for-meer (1996)
Tien Jaar Later (1998)
Sing Koos du Plessis (1999)
Die Ander Kant (2000)
Voëlvry Die Toer (2002)
Kerkorrel – Best Of: Pêrels Voor Die Swyne (2003)
Hoe Ek Voel (2012) – issued to commemorate the 10 year anniversary of Rabie's death
After Rabie's death, several artists recorded tribute songs to his life and work. An incomplete list follows:
Stef Bos – Pelgrimsrus
Riku Lätti – Ysbeer
Amanda Strydom – Ek Het Gedroom
Karen Zoid – Foto Teen Die Muur
Jak De Priester – Kerkorrel
Kristoe Strauss – Sit Dit Self Af
Jan Blohm – Johnny K
Valiant Swart - Sonvanger
Valiant Swart en Koos Kombuis – Kleinmond Koebaai
Koos Kombuis - Johnny is nie dood nie
Hier's Ons Almal Tesaam
Johannes Kerkorrel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Net in vriendskap se naam
Met ons erns en luim
Met ons doen en versuim
Laat die sorge vir eers
Laat net vreugde hier heers
Want oor die rand van die glas
In die nag veg 'n vuur
Teen die donkerste uur
Daar's nog tyd vir plesier
As die vlamme net duur
En kan ons lag, skerts en sing
En die onrus verdring
Want deur die glasie se steel
Lyk die wêreld weer heel
Hier's ons almal tesaam
Net in vriendskap se naam
En ons lag en gesels
Oor wat vreugde behels
Oor die rand van die glas
Lyk ons almal uit pas
En deur die glasie se steel
Lyk die wêreld verdeel
Oor die rand van die glas
Is ons almal uit pas
En deur die glasie se steel
Is die wêreld verdeel
The first verse of Johannes Kerkorrel's song "Hier's Ons Almal Tesaam" sets the theme of friendship and companionship. The lyrics suggest that regardless of our serious or whimsical tendencies, successes or failures, we are all united in the name of friendship. The second verse encourages us to let go of our concerns and to embrace joy, because in the end, everything appears to be in order. The third and fourth verses paint a picture of a night that's still young, characterized by a lively fire that burns against the darkness. The presence of the flame, however, signals that there is still time for pleasure and enjoyment.
As the song progresses, the focus turns to laughter, humor, and singing. Through these activities, we can forget about our worries and anxieties, and relieve ourselves of any unrest. The final verses of the song acknowledge that even though we start out feeling divided and out of sync, the act of drinking together through a glass unites us again. The world may look divided through the edge of the glass, but by looking through the glass itself, we find ourselves feeling whole again.
Overall, the lyrics of "Hier's Ons Almal Tesaam" remind us that regardless of our differences, we have the power to come together in the name of friendship, joy, and companionship.
Line by Line Meaning
Hier's ons almal tesaam
Here we all are together
Net in vriendskap se naam
Just in the name of friendship
Met ons erns en luim
With our seriousness and humor
Met ons doen en versuim
With our actions and shortcomings
Laat die sorge vir eers
Let the worries be for now
Laat net vreugde hier heers
Let only joy prevail here
Want oor die rand van die glas
Because over the rim of the glass
Lyk dit als nommerpas
Everything seems to fall into place
In die nag veg 'n vuur
In the night, a fire rages
Teen die donkerste uur
Against the darkest hour
Daar's nog tyd vir plesier
There's still time for pleasure
As die vlamme net duur
As long as the flames endure
En kan ons lag, skerts en sing
And we can laugh, joke and sing
En die onrus verdring
And push away the unrest
Want deur die glasie se steel
Because through the stem of the glass
Lyk die wêreld weer heel
The world looks whole again
Oor die rand van die glas
Over the rim of the glass
Lyk ons almal uit pas
We all seem out of step
En deur die glasie se steel
And through the stem of the glass
Lyk die wêreld verdeel
The world looks divided
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
jaco
on Halala Afrika
Toe die wêreld hier nog jonk was en die horison wyd en oop
Back when the world was young and the horizon wide open
Was dit groen hier in die halfrond, suid van die ewenaar
This hemisphere south of the equator was green
En in die skemer as die son sak en die beeste huis toe loop
And in the twilight when the sun sets and the animals go home
Klink die roepstem van die vrouwe oor die heuvels van die land:
The women's calls echo over the hills of the land:
Halala, ewig is ons Afrika.
Hail, eternal is our Africa.
Tula tula mtanami, tula tula sanaboni, tula tula mtanami, Ubab uzobuya sihlale naye, ubab uzobuya sihlale sonke, Hmmm-Hmmm
Sleep, sleep my child, sleep, sleep my dear friend, sleep, sleep my child, Father will return and we'll all live together, Hmmm-Hmmm
Toe kom die skepe uit die weste, wit seile oor die see
Then came the ships from the West, white sails over the sea
Om te vra vir kos en water en te bly vir so veel meer.
Seeking food and water and staying for so much more.
En die land wat een tyd oop was, die land het ons verruil
And the land that was once open, we have traded for
Vir die ghetto's van die stede is ons koperdraad gegee.
The ghettos of the cities, where we were given copper wire.
Halala, ewig is ons Afrika.
Hail, eternal is our Africa.
Halala, sasiphila, kamnandi, halala, mayibuye Afrika
Hail, we are living well, hail, let Africa return.
Daar was rykdom in die maag van ons moeder Afrika
There was wealth in the womb of our mother Africa
Diamante en ook steenkool, goud, edel metaal
Diamonds and coal, gold and precious metals
En die mense word die slawe hier want die mense word betaal
And the people have become slaves because they are paid
Om te tonnel in die aarde elke greintjie uit te haal
To dig deep in the earth to extract every grain.
En die groot en oop grasvlaktes span dit toe met doringdraad
And the vast open grasslands are fenced off with barbed wire
En van die olifant tot die gemsbok al die diere moes kom buig
And from the elephant to the antelope, all the animals had to bow down
Voor die mag van die grootwildjagter voor die mag van sy groot geweer
Before the power of the big game hunter, before the power of his big gun.
Totdat net die stilte oorbly, totdat net die stilte heers.
Until only silence remains, until only silence reigns.
Halala, ewig is ons Afrika.
Hail, eternal is our Africa.
Halala, sasiphila, kamnandi, halala, mayibuye Afrika
Hail, we are living well, hail, let Africa return
Sasidjapolutjoloythina
Sasidjapolutjoloythina