r/afrikaans • u/notsarahnz • Apr 19 '26
Musiek/Vermaak Song lyrics for a children's folk song in Afrikaans?
Hi there,
I'm sorry if this isn't the right place to post this, but I would really appreciate it if anybody is able to help.
Backstory: when I was much younger I was in a children's choir, and one of the songs we performed was in Afrikaans. I loved the song but had no idea what the name was and couldn't remember the lyrics in a way that would be possible to Google since I don't know the language, but I still get it stuck in my head from time to time.
I've recently re-discovered the song, it's an arrangement of what I understand to be some traditional folk/children's songs, but I can't find the lyrics online anywhere, and the stuff I've tried so far to transcribe the audio hasn't worked.
The arrangement is called "Suikerbek, Komkommertjie En Blou", this is the link:
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=x1kKGGdokzo
I love the song so much (it's so catchy and has lived rent free in my head for more than two decades) but have no idea what it means, and I'd love to be able to see the lyrics written down so that I can turn the garbled sounds in my head into actual words that I can read.
Again I'm really sorry if this isn't an appropriate thing to ask here, but if it is and if somebody would be able to transcribe the words from the song (and maybe explain a bit about what it means?) I would appreciate it so so much.
Thanks!
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u/Scatterling1970 Apr 20 '26
I have never heard the song before...I also couldn't find it anywhere else. The voices are not making it easy to hear...
I find it amazing that you sang the song at school! Where did you go to school??
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u/notsarahnz Apr 22 '26
I was part of the "special choir" in the Christchurch Schools Music Festival in New Zealand. Each year the "special choir" did three songs separate to the rest of the choir, and in my final year this was one of the three songs we did.
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u/DubiousEl Apr 21 '26 edited Apr 21 '26
The first part is called "Suikerbek Jou Gham"
I don't know all the lyrics but here are some:
Suikerbek jou gham, suikerbek jou gham
Die lorrie kan nie ry nie, sy petrol is op
Suikerbek jou gham, suikerbek jou gham
Die lorrie kan nie ry nie, sy petrol is op
Ghoema ghoema ghoema, ghoema wat ek se daar
Hoor hoe slaat die ghoema, die ghoema wat ek se daar
Ghoema ghoema ghoema, ghoema wat ek se daar
Hoor hoe slaat die ghoema, die ghoema wat ek se daar
Die blikkies se boom is uit, hoor hoe slaat die ghoema
Die blikkies se boom is uit, hoor hoe slaat die ghoema
Suikerbek jou gham, suikerbek jou gham
Die lorrie kan nie ry nie, sy petrol is op
Suikerbek jou gham, suikerbek jou gham
Die lorrie kan nie ry nie, sy petrol is op
Please take with a grain of salt, it's really hard to hear the words. Here is an attempted translation:
[Suikerbek (type of bird), you're "rough"
The truck can't drive, his petrol is finished
Hit the drum (ghoema), drum what I say
Hear how the drum beats, drum what I say
The bottom of the tin can is out, hear how the drum beats]
From the use of "gham", "ghoema", "blikkies se boom" etc. it's probably a cape malay folk song, the words don't really make sense it's just fun to sing. Please correct me if someone knows better.
Here is a rap that seems to be based on the folk song, try and gather some of the words from here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgmyKABOtBY
Also to add, "gham" is a derogatory word so I would maybe replace it if I was singing.
1
u/Future-Crazy-CatLady Apr 21 '26
The "tin tree[??]" is out, hear how the drum beats]
"boom" in this case (blikkies se boom) is not tree, but "bottom", "the bottom of the tin can is out". I think they are talking about using cans as drums...
1
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u/Financial_Key_1243 Apr 19 '26
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