John West
Robbie Wessels Lyrics

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Die wolke pak saam in die Ooste
En hy staan met sy hoed in sy hand
Op sy sementdamwal en hy wonder gaan die somerreën
Hierdie jaar val?

Ek wonder nogsteeds by myself
Was ek daai jaar nege of elf?
Toe die sneeu dik gelê het

Op Hamiltonsrus en ons ons bure se vure
Vinnig moes blus

John West
Ek weet jy mis jou plaas
Ek weet jy dink aan Abraam en aan Petrus wat dronk raas
Jy droom van koringlande
Jy bid nogsteeds vir reën
En al mis jy ook die Vrystaat
In die Kaap
Sal God jou seën

Soms lê hy laataande wakker
En hy dink weer aan vrugbare grond
Hy sien weer ‘n klein hopie sand tussen bome
Daar lê Nonna sy basterhond

Dan begin hy homself af te vra
Het die swaarkry hom regtig gepla?
Tussen lande vol mielies
En kampe vol wild
Het John West besef daar’s net teveel skuld?

John West
Ek weet jy mis jou plaas
Ek weet jy dink aan Abraam en aan Petrus wat dronk raas
Jy droom van koringlande
Jy bid nogsteeds vir reën
En al mis jy ook die Vrystaat
In die Kaap
Sal God jou seën

John West
Ek weet jy mis jou plaas
Ek weet jy dink aan Abraam en aan Petrus wat dronk raas
Jy droom van koringlande
Jy bid nogsteeds vir reën
En al mis jy ook die Vrystaat

In die Kaap
Sal God jou seën

Overall Meaning

The song "John West" by Robbie Wessels describes the life of a farmer named John West who stands on his cement dam wall, wondering if the summer rain will fall this year as the clouds gather in the east. He remembers the time when he was a child and the snow was thick on Hamiltonsrus, and they had to quickly put out the fires of the neighboring farmers. Now he wonders if the hardships and debts of farming were worth it. He thinks about the fertile land and small hills surrounded by trees where he used to take his basterhound Nonna. Sometimes, he questions if the struggles of farming were worth it, surrounded by fields of corn and camps filled with wild animals. However, he still dreams of fertile land and koringlande and prays for rain, missing his home in the Vrystaat but hoping for blessings in the Cape.

The song is poignant and highlights the struggles of farmers in South Africa, who have to deal with the uncertainties of weather, the pressure of debt, and the sacrifices of farming. It portrays the inner thoughts and emotions of a farmer who is not just a worker but a custodian of the land, bound to it by tradition and family. The song celebrates the resilience of farmers and encourages them to keep praying and dreaming.

Line by Line Meaning

Die wolke pak saam in die Ooste
The clouds gather in the East

En hy staan met sy hoed in sy hand
And he stands with his hat in his hand

Op sy sementdamwal en hy wonder gaan die somerreën
On his concrete dam wall and he wonders if the summer rain will come

Hierdie jaar val?
Will it fall this year?

Ek wonder nogsteeds by myself
I still wonder to myself

Was ek daai jaar nege of elf?
Was I nine or eleven that year?

Toe die sneeu dik gelê het
When the snow lay thick

Op Hamiltonsrus en ons ons bure se vure
At Hamiltonsrus and we had to quickly put out our neighbors' fires

Vinnig moes blus
Fast we had to extinguish the flames

John West
John West

Ek weet jy mis jou plaas
I know you miss your farm