Witman
Kobus Lyrics
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Honger in die sakke en vloeke in die mond
Witman kyk na die vrygestelde slawe
Vergete monumente, Bloedrivier, Godsverbond
Witman loop met 'n swart agorafobia
Soli deo Gloria, strate van Pretoria
Witman se toekoms lyk al meer lagwekkender
Laat in die nag lê hy wakker wakker wakker wakkerWitman! Witman!
Witman loop deur die Trellidor utopia
Volkskonsentrasiekamp, onbewus euforia
Witman loop ongemaklik in sy vel
Elke tree wat hy gee 'n bietjie nader aan die hel
Witman nihilisties, witman fatalisties
Kripties pessimisties oor die mensdom dom dom
Witman se toekoms lyk al meer skrikwekkender
Sy hart tik tik soos 'n tydbom bom bom
Witman! Witman!
Witman voed op die oorskiet van verlede dae
Oplossings van gister vir probleme van die hede dae
Witman werkloos, witman ambisieloos
Witman staar die mure plat met grafte in sy oë
Witman gaan siel verloor, witman gaan familie moor
Witman heelnag wakker soos 'n lewendige lyk
Witman se rewolwer lê gereed onder sy kussing
More oggend vroeg skiet hy sonder om te kyk KYK
The song “Witman” by Kobus! is a commentary on the current state of South Africa and the struggles faced by white South Africans in the “new era”. The lyrics paint a bleak picture of a man named Witman who is struggling to find his place in the world. He walks through the streets hungry and with curses on his lips, observing the forgotten monuments and memorials to South Africa’s troubled past, such as the Battle of Blood River and the Afrikaner Covenant. He is afflicted with agoraphobia and can only find solace in the streets of Pretoria, where he feels the most “at home”.
The chorus repeats Witman’s name, as if he is a martyr, a tragic figure who is doomed to fail. Witman’s future looks increasingly bleak to him, as he struggles to find meaning or purpose in his life. He is nihilistic, fatalistic, and pessimistic about the future of humanity, and each step he takes is “a little closer to hell”. The song ends with an ominous warning, as Witman readies his revolver to shoot without looking, suggesting that he has given up all hope and is ready to resort to violence.
Line by Line Meaning
Witman loop deur die nuwe era strate
Witman walks through the streets of a new era
Honger in die sakke en vloeke in die mond
He is hungry and angry
Witman kyk na die vrygestelde slawe
He looks at the freed slaves
Vergete monumente, Bloedrivier, Godsverbond
He sees forgotten monuments, like the Battle of Blood River and covenant with God
Witman loop met 'n swart agorafobia
Witman is plagued by black agoraphobia
Soli deo Gloria, strate van Pretoria
He seeks solace in God's glory as he wanders the streets of Pretoria
Witman se toekoms lyk al meer lagwekkender
Witman's future looks increasingly absurd
Laat in die nag lê hy wakker wakker wakker wakker
He lies awake at night, unable to sleep
Witman! Witman!
A call to Witman
Witman loop deur die Trellidor utopia
Witman walks through the Trellidor utopia
Volkskonsentrasiekamp, onbewus euforia
He sees a concentration camp and feels a strange sense of happiness
Witman loop ongemaklik in sy vel
He feels uncomfortable in his own skin
Elke tree wat hy gee 'n bietjie nader aan die hel
Every step he takes brings him closer to hell
Witman nihilisties, witman fatalisties
Witman is a nihilist and a fatalist
Kripties pessimisties oor die mensdom dom dom
He speaks cryptically and pessimistically about mankind
Witman se toekoms lyk al meer skrikwekkender
Witman's future looks increasingly terrifying
sy hart tik tik soos 'n tydbom bom bom
His heart beats like a ticking time bomb
Witman! Witman!
Another call to Witman
Witman voed op die oorskiet van verlede dae
Witman lives off the remnants of the past
Oplossings van gister vir probleme van die hede dae
He tries to solve present problems with yesterday's solutions
Witman werkloos, witman ambisieloos
Witman is unemployed and lacks ambition
Witman staar die mure plat met grafte in sy oë
He stares at the walls with dead eyes
Witman gaan siel verloor, witman gaan familie moor
Witman will lose his soul and kill his family
Witman heelnag wakker soos 'n lewendige lyk
He is awake all night like a living dead
Witman se rewolwer lê gereed onder sy kussing
His revolver is ready under his pillow
More oggend vroeg skiet hy sonder om te kyk KYK
Early the next morning, he shoots without looking
Contributed by Jonathan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.