Donker Land - Johannes Kerkorrel en die Gereformeerde Blues Band 1989

Van die Eet Kreef Album
Donker Land
-------------------
Die klein wit republiek
Is in 'n droë wit seisoen
Hierso dra die bome nie meer vrugte nie
Die damme is almal droog
Uit die vlaktes van die Noord Karoo
Kom 'n sprinkaanplaag
Wat uitstrek na die Noorde en die mielielande knaag
En in die dorpe en die stede
Ly die mense honger
Die kos is skaars en al het jy werk
Word jou geld al minder werd
En dis 'n donker donker land
Die seisoene draai die sterre brand
Die son word rooi ons het beland aan die maan
Se verkeerde kant
En in ons huise teen die heuwels
Agter trallies skuil ons teen alle euwels
En ver sien ons die rook trek
Die lokasies is aan die brand
En die soldate kom al aangemarsjeer en elkeen dra 'n gelaaide geweer
Daar's 'n bom in elke supermark
En die klank van glas wat breek en iets moet breek
En dis 'n donker donker land die seisoene draai die sterre brand
Die son word rooi ons het beland aan die maan
Se verkeerde kant
Maar na sewe jaar se droogte
Begin dit reën
En die reen val neer hier
Die reën val op my hande
Die reën val op my arms
Die reën val op my oë
Die reën val op my lyf
Die reën val op my gesig
Die reën val op my rug
Oe, reën, oe reën val neer hier
Oe reën val neer
Hey, die reën val neer
Oe, reën hier
O reën
Die reën val neer op Voortrekkerhoogte
Die reën val neer op doringdraad
Die reën val neer op berge
Die reën val op valleie
Die reën word strome
Die reën word riviere
Die reën word 'n see kom aan reën
Reën was alles weg hier
Was alles skoon hier
Was alles skoon hier
Reën kom weer en weer
Weer en weer, weer en weer
Dark Country
-------------------
This small white republic
Is in a dry white season
The trees no longer bear fruit
The dams are all empty
Across the plains of the North Karoo
Comes a plague of locusts
It stretches out to the North
And eats out the cornfields
And in the towns and the cities
People go hungry
Food is scarce and even if you have work
Your money has less and less worth
And it’s a dark, dark country
The seasons turn, the stars burn
The sun flares red and we’ve landed
On the wrong side of the moon
In our liitle houses on the hills
Behind bars we hide from all evils
From far away, we see the smoke rise
The locations are on fire
And the soldiers are marching
Each carrying a loaded gun
There’s a bomb in every supermarket
And the sound of glass breaking
Something’s got to break!
It’s a dark, dark country
The seasons turn, the stars burn
The sun flares red and we’ve landed
On the wrong side of the moon
But after seven years of drought
It begins to rain
And the rain falls down
The rain falls on my hands
The rain falls on my arms
The rain falls on my eyes
The rain falls on my body
The rain falls on my face
The rain falls on my back
Oh, the rain falls down here
The rain falls down on Voortrekker Heights
The rain falls down on barbed wire
The rain falls on mountains
The rain falls on valleys
The rain becomes streams
The rain becomes rivers
The rain becomes a sea
The rain washes everything away here
Washes everything clean here
The rain comes, again and again
Again and again

[@nielclaassen7523]

Predictions is getting true

[@Geekraver]

Awesome! Thank you.

[@marinusdejager41]

Bitterlik goed

[@christohunt5395]

Fok, this stuff breaks my heart and want to say it in Afrikaans

[@alankruza997]

To anyone…Is there an English translation of this song? Musically, it is very compelling. I know that the title translates to Dark Dark Land but that’s as much as I know. I love the song, “Hillbrow” and this one intrigues me as well. Thanks from America.

[@mirrorink]

ive added the lyrics please have a look

[@alankruza997]

Thank you very much for the translation. I could not find one anywhere online. The song’s lyrics are as dark as is the music except that the lyrics seem to end on a more optimistic note (end of the drought) but the music doesn’t seem to. At least that’s how I interpret it. Knowing the lyrics now gives me a better appreciation for the song and a greater appreciation for Johannes Kerkorrel. His death is a great loss to the world.
My first exposure to him was “Hillbrow” and I did find an English translation. His music and lyrics are compelling. I’m surprised that “Donker Donker Land” wasn’t banned. I’m also surprised that Evita’s show was permitted, considering the laws and conservative nature of SA at the time. I visited SA in 1979 and it is truly one of the world’s most beautiful countries. It has challenges but what country doesn’t? And it produces people like Johannes, Johnny Clegg, Karen Zoid, and others in all walks of life. One of the best videos ever is “The Crossing-Friends Of Johnny Clegg”.
Anyway, the last stanza of “Donker” begins, “But after seven years of drought”. Is there a significance to the “seven years”? Thank you again for including both the Afrikaans and English lyrics. I am grateful for your kindness in providing them.

[@mirrorink]

@@alankruza997 that was no problem, glad it helps understand the words. not sure re the 7 years of drought but maybe its derives from the biblical expression, in afrikaans people refer with this expression whenthey expect things are going top go bad for some time before it gets better at all...

[@alankruza997]

@@mirrorink That’s very interesting, how phrases come about and what they mean. Thank you again. I just recently discovered Kerkorrel’s recording of “Onder In My Whiskey Glas”. Excellent. I am also intrigued by some of the similarities between English and Afrikaans. Apparently, they are cousin languages because of the Frisian source of many of their words. Small world!

[@mirrorink]

@@alankruza997 then you might like this one too - see what you think
ua-cam.com/video/16Jn2VsJYhw/v-deo.html

[@klyntji]

👍

[@quentinsherratt7969]

so ietwat te ver links.

[@Rustie_za]

so staged, maar great om te sien. Wonder wat hy oor al die plaasmoorde sou gese het.

[@williepanic]

is maar stage soos n gewone music video.
Johannes sou baie gese het!

[@theovanstaden5766]

lol die Koel is deur die kerk

[@theovanstaden5766]

lol die koel is deur die kerk!