Review of South African song Abra Kadabra by Nickolas Louw.

Abra Kadabra, from the double album "Grootste treffers so ver", translating to 'Biggest hits so far', was released on 1 December 2010, and is but one of Nickolas Louw's 33 great albums released thus far.  Nickolas Louw has successfully covered a wide spread of music genres, including country, gospel, Latin American, and opera, which have earned him dozens of South African Music Awards.

Abra Kadabra is an upbeat high-tempo song, which has graced umpteen drum-majorette competitions throughout South Africa, is frequently played at dance clubs, and yet is equally to be heard in typical South African households, especially around the 'braai' (barbeque, campfire).
"Dis donderweer, dis middernag."  The word 'dis' is from 'dit is', and is colloquial Afrikaans meaning 'this is', as the noun 'dis' is actually a dish referring to a meal.  The artist sings of being in a thunderstorm at midnight, and around every corner, he is seeing your shadow.  The next verse is divided into three stanza's each emphasizing a unique intent, and is repeated three times throughout the song. 

The first stanza begins with, 'Ek gaan jou soek, Ek gaan you kry', he is adding extra emphasis to the word 'gaan', which translates to 'will'.  The term 'gaan' means intent on doing something, 'to do'.  It is a stronger term than 'can do it' or 'want to do it'.  The artist is emphasizing his will to Soek en Kry, 'soek' translating to 'seek' as 'kry' translates to receive.  Thus meaning the artist is adamant on seeking you and receiving you, even though he is in these dark circumstances. 

'Kan my nie keer, kan maar probeer, maar ek sal altyd by bly,' adds emphasis to the word 'kan' instead of 'gaan'.  The word can shows ability but not necessarily probability, and translates to 'can'.  Here the artist is merely emphasizing the possibilities of preventing his will, but his adamancy to be with you, will allow him to follow through.

The word 'Keer', is a homonym, and could mean 'time', as in 'time-after-time', which would be 'keer-op-keer', or as the artist has used in the verse, which means to prevent, avert or stop.  'By bly', translates to keep up, or remain abreast, or maintain, but is also a homonym, which means to keep in one's memory, to remember.  Thus adding significance to irrespective of what you try, the artist will remain aloof and remember who you are.

Tienie Brits, affectionately remembered as 'Martino', the South African Magician who died 25 February 2011, used the catch phrase, "Kul jou hier, kul jou daar, en siedaar!" from which the next stanza 'Jy kul my hier, jy kul my daar', originates.  Martino The verb 'kul' translates to con, cheat or fool, and 'siedaar' would be similar to 'ta-daa'.  The catch phrase would thus mean, "fool you here, fool you there, and ta-daaa", and was spoken as Martino would enchant the nation on national TV using his magic phrase.  The catch phrase still lingers and frequently uttered when capturing the minds of the Afrikaans population today. 

The next verse begins with the song title, 'Abra kadabra', which is said to have originated from Hebrew, 'A'bra, meaning 'I create', 'ca' meaning 'what', and 'dab'ra' I speak, hence, "I create what I speak".  The artist then states 'there you disappear again', and emphasizes questioning there after.  Where are you? Where is?  Then resigns himself to try again.

The second stanza of the verse is somewhat a repeat, but emphasizing the answers.  Abracadabra, there you disappear again.  There you are! There is.  Make my heart sore again.

This is an interesting song and one can truly say that the song, in itself, is a double entendre.  The first being a love story, whereby the artist is adamant of finding his perfect woman within this storm, and when the song is blaring in night clubs, I am sure it is mostly accepted as such. 

However, if we look at the artist as being a gospel singer then it really emphasizes that the song is up to the listener to decide whom the 'you' is that the artist is singing to.  It would be safe to say that this is a magical song of Seek and you shall find, as found in Luke 11:9, a song of disappearance and reappearance, as found in Isaiah 54:7 'For a mere moment I have forsaken you, but with great mercies I will gather you", as well as the resurrection of Christ himself.  By writing this song in this fashion, the artist has managed to get His word out to the most unlikely places that he would have, had he just recorded another gospel hit, that is rather magical, or rather 'Abra Kadabra!"

Lyrics:

Dis donderweer dis middernag,

Net donkerte wat buite wag

Om elke draai dan sien ek weer

Net maanlig en jou skaaduwee

Ek gaan jou soek

Ek gaan jou kry

Ek soek jou altyd by my

Kan my nie keer

Kan maar probeer

Maar ek sal altyd by bly

Jy kul my hier

Jy kul my daar

My kop is deur mekaar

Is dit 'n droom of is dit waar?

Abra kadabra

Daar verdwyn jy weer

Waar is jy? Waar is

Laat ek weer probeer

Abra kadabra

Daar verdwyn jy weer

Daar is jy?  Daar is?

Maak my hart weer seer

Ek sien nou niks meer om my nie

Jy toor my met 'n melodie

Verlam met daai kyk van jou

Jy weet ek kan nie sonder jou

Ek gaan jou soek

Ek gaan jou kry

Ek soek jou altyd by my

Kan my nie keer

Kan maar probeer

Maar ek sal altyd by bly

Jy kul my hier

Jy kul my daar

My kop is deur mekaar

Is dit 'n droom of is dit waar?

Abra kadabra

Daar verdwyn jy weer

Waar is jy?  Waar is

Laat ek weer probeer

Abra kadabra

Daar verdwyn jy weer

Daar is jy!  Daar is!

Maak my hart weer seer

Ek hoor jou hart klop

Jou woorde hou nooit op

Abra kadabra

Daar verdwyn jy weer

Waar is jy? Waar is

Daar het ek weer probeer

Abra kadabra

Daar verdwyn jy weer

Daar is jy?  Daar is?

Maak my hart weer seer

Ek gaan jou soek

Ek gaan jou kry

Ek soek jou altyd by my

Kan my nie keer

Kan maar probeer

Maar ek sal altyd by bly

Jy kul my hier

Jy kul my daar

My kop is deur mekaar

Is dit 'n droom of is dit waar?

Abra kadabra

Daar verdwyn jy weer

Waar is jy?  Waar is

Laat ek weer probeer

Abra kadabra

Daar verdwyn jy weer

Daar is jy!  Daar is!

Maak my hart weer seer

Metadata:

Title: Abra Kadabra

Artist: Nickolas Louw
Country: South Africa
Language: Afrikaans,
Year: 2010
Genre: Alternative Afrikaans, Folk Rock,

Rate: 3