This song is sung by one of the most well known South African artists, Koos Kombuis (poor man with a surname of kitchen), its my one and only favourite songs in traditional afrikaans. I have translated the lyrics for you but its more the tone than them that gets under my skin, hope you enjoy 🙂
LISA SE KLAVIER (Lisa’s piano)
EK HET ‘N VRIENDIN (I have a friend)
VER BY DIE BLOU SEE (far by the blue sea)
TEEN DIE HANG VAN TAFELBERG (against the side of Table Mountain)
AS DIE SON SAK (as the sun sets)
SPEEL SY DIE MOOISTE MELODIEË (she plays the most beautiful melody)
HAAR VINGERS KEN DIE PAD (her fingers know the road)
OPGESLUIT IN WIT EN SWART (locked up in white and black)
DIE KLAVIER SE GROOTSTE VREUGDE (the piano’s greatest pleasure)
HARTSEER EN VERLANGE (heartache and longing)
VERSTAAN DIE HART SE DIEPSTE SMART (understand the hearts deepest hurt)
JA, DIE HELE WÊRELD WORD STIL (yes, the whole world becomes still)
EN LUISTER IN DIE DONKER UUR (and listens in the darkest hour)
NA DIE NAGGELUIDE (after the sounds in the night)
VAN LISA SE KLAVIER (of Lisa’s piano)
LISA KAN NIE OPHOU AS SY EERS BEGIN HET NIE (Lisa can not stop once she has begun)
SY LAAT MY NOOIT HUIS TOE LOOP (she never lets me walk home)
OF AFSKEID NEEM (or say goodbye)
VOOR MY LAASTE SIGARET NIE (before my last cigarette)
EK STAAN OP HAAR BALKON (I stand on her balcony)
EN DRINK HAAR APPELKOOSTEE (and drink her apricot tea)
EN KYK NA KAAPSTAD IN DIE NAG (and look at Cape Town in the night)
DIE LIGGIES EN DIE SWART, SWART SEE (the lights and the dark, black sea)
EN ONDER OP DIE SYPAADJIE (and under on the pavement)
SIEN EK DIE BERGIE EN SY MAAT (I see the homeless man and his friend)
GAAN STAAN EN OPKYK (stand and look up)
VER NA BO (far to the top/heavens)
VANUIT DIE VULLIS VAN ORANJESTRAAT (from the depths of Oranje street)
HULLE KEN AL LANK DIE KLANKE (they already know the sound)
WAT UIT HAAR WOONSTEL STROOM (what flows out of her flat)
LANK NA TWAALF, MET DIE DEURE OOP (long after 12 with the doors open)
AL MOAN DIE BURE OOK AL HOE (even though the neighbours moan)
WORD LISA ELKE BOEMELAAR SE DROOM (Lisa becomes the homeless mans dream)
Martha
•15 years ago
Ah, a wonderful song to listen to on a Saturday afternoon. Perfect! I didn’t know that Afrikaans has some similarity with German! Learned something new today! Thank you! 🙂
SanityFound
•15 years ago
😀 Glad you liked – Afrikaans is a mixture from all our forefathers… French, English, Dutch and German
So nou kan ek afrikaans praat en jy kan dit verstaan 😀
Miche
•15 years ago
I don’t enjoy afrikaans tunes, maar Kahn jy mag maar..U give this tune a Parly edge…u go dude…
SanityFound
•15 years ago
We love the Parly edge lol love how you put that thanks you!
Anna
•14 years ago
Thank you so much for the translation! I first heard The Parlotones cover of this song and totally fell in love with it. Now that I understand the words more or less I love it even more! lol. This song makes me want to learn Afrikaans <3