A Fransaskois from Willow Bunch, Saskatchewan, she was a member of the folk music band Folle Avoine in the 1970s. Her brother Paul Campagne and sisters Suzanne Campagne, Michelle Campagne and Annette Campagne, her bandmates in Folle Avoine, have also continued in music with the folk band Hart-Rouge.
She, along with Connie Kaldor, received a Juno Award at the 1989 Award ceremony in the category Best Children's Album for Lullaby Berceuse.
In 2013, she was made a Member of the Order of Canada "for her contributions as a singer, songwriter and composer enhancing music for young children and using music in French-language education".
She died of cancer at age 58 on July 4, 2018, in Willow Bunch.
J'ai peur
Carmen Campagne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Papa, viens vite, maman, j′ai peur
J'ai peur des serpents et des souris
De l′espace dessous mon lit, la nuit
Du tonnerre et des éclairs d'orage
Des gros chiens du voisinage
On dit que j'ai de l′imagination
Ce qui complique la situation
Entendez-vous battre mon cœur?
J′ai peur
C'est très simple, j′ai une phobie
De la garde-robe de ma chambre, la nuit
Même si papa dit: "il n'y a rien, va te coucher"
J′imagine toutes sortes de monstruosités
Aussitôt qu'on éteint la lumière
Et que tombent mes paupières
Elles sont là, j′en suis convaincue
Même si je ne les ai jamais vues
Entendez-vous battre mon cœur?
J'ai peur
Mais je ne suis pas seule à être apeurée
Maman a peur des araignées
Ma sœur a peur de la noirceur
Grand-père a grand peur des oiseaux grimpeurs
Le dentiste fait claquer des dents grand-maman
Quand elle sort son dentier, j'ai le visage blanc
Mon père a une peur bleue des vers de terre
Seul mon frère se dit avoir du nerf
Entendez-vous battre nos cœurs?
On a peur
Et quand mon grand frère rit de moi
Me dit: "hé, grand bébé là là"
Je ne me fâche pas, je ne dis pas un mot
Et plus tard, avant de faire dodo
Je m′avance lentement quand il fait ses devoirs
Je cris "beu" dans son oreille, tu devrais le voir
Il sursaute, parfois, il lâche un cri
Et là, c′est moi qui ris de lui
Entendez-vous battre son cœur?
Il a peur
In Carmen Campagne's song "J'ai peur" (I'm afraid), the lyrics express the fears and anxieties of a young child, as well as highlighting that fear is a shared experience among family members. The song begins with the child calling out for their parents, expressing their fear of snakes, mice, and the space under their bed at night. They also fear thunderstorms and the neighbor's big dogs. The child acknowledges that others say they have a vivid imagination, which complicates the situation further.
The chorus repeats the phrase "Entendez-vous battre mon cœur?" (Can you hear my heart beating?). It emphasizes the child's vulnerability and heightened state of fear. The second verse reveals the child's specific phobia of their bedroom closet at night. Despite their father's reassurance that there is nothing to be afraid of, the child's imagination conjures up various monsters and creatures. As soon as the lights go out and their eyelids close, they are convinced that these entities are present, even though they have never seen them.
The third verse reveals that the child is not alone in their fears. Their mother is afraid of spiders, their sister fears the dark, their grandfather is scared of climbing birds, and their grandmother's dentures make their father's face turn pale. Interestingly, the father has a deep fear of earthworms, while only the child's brother claims to have some nerve and isn't afraid of anything.
The final verse takes a humorous turn as the child's older brother mocks them and calls them a baby. However, instead of getting mad, the child plays a prank on their brother by sneaking up on him while he does his homework, shouting "beu" in his ear. The brother startles, sometimes even screams, and the child finds joy in turning the tables.
Overall, Carmen Campagne's "J'ai peur" portrays the fears and phobias experienced by children and highlights how fear can be a common thread among family members. The song captures the innocence, vivid imagination, and playfulness that often accompany childhood fears.
Line by Line Meaning
Entendez-vous battre mon cœur?
Can you hear my heart beating?
Papa, viens vite, maman, j′ai peur
Dad, come quickly, Mom, I'm scared
J'ai peur des serpents et des souris
I'm afraid of snakes and mice
De l′espace dessous mon lit, la nuit
Of the space under my bed at night
Du tonnerre et des éclairs d'orage
Of thunder and lightning storms
Des gros chiens du voisinage
Of the big dogs in the neighborhood
On dit que j'ai de l′imagination
They say I have a vivid imagination
Ce qui complique la situation
Which complicates the situation
C'est très simple, j′ai une phobie
It's very simple, I have a phobia
De la garde-robe de ma chambre, la nuit
Of the wardrobe in my room at night
Même si papa dit: "il n'y a rien, va te coucher"
Even if Dad says, "There's nothing, go to bed"
J′imagine toutes sortes de monstruosités
I imagine all kinds of monsters
Aussitôt qu'on éteint la lumière
As soon as the lights go out
Et que tombent mes paupières
And my eyelids close
Elles sont là, j′en suis convaincue
They are there, I am convinced
Même si je ne les ai jamais vues
Even though I have never seen them
Mais je ne suis pas seule à être apeurée
But I'm not the only one scared
Maman a peur des araignées
Mom is afraid of spiders
Ma sœur a peur de la noirceur
My sister is afraid of the dark
Grand-père a grand peur des oiseaux grimpeurs
Grandpa is very scared of climbing birds
Le dentiste fait claquer des dents grand-maman
The dentist makes Grandma's teeth clatter
Quand elle sort son dentier, j'ai le visage blanc
When she takes out her dentures, I turn pale
Mon père a une peur bleue des vers de terre
My father is terrified of earthworms
Seul mon frère se dit avoir du nerf
Only my brother claims to have nerves
Et quand mon grand frère rit de moi
And when my older brother laughs at me
Me dit: "hé, grand bébé là là"
Tells me, "hey, big baby there there"
Je ne me fâche pas, je ne dis pas un mot
I don't get angry, I don't say a word
Et plus tard, avant de faire dodo
And later, before going to sleep
Je m′avance lentement quand il fait ses devoirs
I slowly approach him when he's doing his homework
Je cris "beu" dans son oreille, tu devrais le voir
I scream "boo" in his ear, you should see him
Il sursaute, parfois, il lâche un cri
He startles, sometimes he lets out a scream
Et là, c′est moi qui ris de lui
And then, it's me who laughs at him
Il a peur
He's scared
Writer(s): Inconnu Compositeur Auteur, Michelle J Campagne
Contributed by Micah O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.