Bicycle sonder 'n slot

"Bicycle sonder 'n slot" is one of the most beautiful and sad Afrikaans love songs. It is written and sung by the Afrikaans singer, Koos Kombuis.

English visitors can visit his English blog here.


The title of the song means "Bicycle without a lock"

The narrator is talking to his high school sweetheart of many years ago, Karin.
He asks her if she still remembers how they bunked school; their nights with candles and cold drink in an old "kaia"- a hut . . . . .
He tells her how he used to bring her flowers and lent her his most precious possession - his bicycle without a lock . . .
how he used to visit her late at night after her parents have gone to bed, just to tell her that he loved her . . . ..
He reminds her how they climbed the hills and how they rode his bicycle on the hem of a dream . what if, when you are big, life is like swimming against the stream?
All their questions were like kites wavering on a tree . . .
In the last stanza he tells her that she must understand that the years, like wine, mature in barrels filled with friendship and sunshine . . . .


Painting by South-African painter John Kramer

Bicycle sonder 'n slot

Karin onthou jy ons kuiers met koeldrank
alleen in die kaia van jeugtyd se groen
onthou die dae van skool bank en kerse
die nagte met honde en goed om te doen

ek bring vir jou blomme
ek gee jou genot
ek leen jou my bicycle sonder 'n slot
ek weet dit is laat
en jou ma-hulle slaap
maar ek moes net vir jou sê
ek het jou lief soos die Kaap

saam het ons bulte geklim in die somer
en fietsgery al op die soom van 'n droom
wat is jy as jy groot is, is die lewe net stroomop?
al ons vrae het gewapper soos vlieërs aan 'n boom

Karin verstaan dat jare soos wyn
kan oud word in kanne vol vriendskap en son
weet jy dat net kinders liewe Jesus kan liefhê
maar dat kinders die wêreld al meer gaan verstom

The song "Bicycle sonder 'n slot"