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.
L'enfant au tambour
Carmen Campagne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pa ra pum pum pum
Petit tambour s′en va
Pa ra pum pum pum
Il sent son cœur qui bat
Pa ra pum pum pum
Au rythme de ses pas
Pa ra pum pum pum
Oh, petit enfant
Pa ra pum pum pum
Où vas-tu?
Hier, mon père
Pa ra pum pum pum
A suivi le tambour
Pa ra pum pum pum
Le tambour des soldats
Pa ra pum pum pum
Alors, je vais au ciel
Pa ra pum pum pum
Ra pum pum pum, ra pum pum pum
Là, je veux donner pour son retour
Mon tambour
Tous les anges
Pa ra pum pum pum
Ont pris leurs beaux tambours
Pa ra pum pum pum
Et ont dit à l'enfant
Pa ra pum pum pum
Ton père est de retour
Pa ra pum pum pum
Ra pum pum pum, ra pum pum pum
Et, l′enfant s'éveille
Pa ra pum pum pum
Sur son tambour
The song "L'enfant au tambour" by Carmen Campagne tells the story of a young boy who is walking down the road with his drum. As he walks, he feels his heart beating in time with the drum. He is asked by someone where he is going, and he responds that he is going to heaven. When asked why, he explains that his father followed the drum of the soldiers, and he wants to give his own drum to his father when he returns.
The boy continues on his journey, and when he arrives in heaven, he finds that all the angels are playing their drums. They tell him that his father has returned, and the boy wakes up to find himself still holding his drum. The song is a touching reminder of the power of music and the way it can connect us with loved ones, even across great distances.
Line by Line Meaning
Sur la route
On the road
Pa ra pum pum pum
The sound of the boy's drum
Petit tambour s′en va
The little drummer boy is going
Il sent son cœur qui bat
He feels his heart beating
Pa ra pum pum pum
The sound of the boy's drum
Au rythme de ses pas
To the rhythm of his steps
Pa ra pum pum pum
The sound of the boy's drum
Ra pum pum pum, ra pum pum pum
The beat of the drum, repeating
Oh, petit enfant
Oh, little child
Pa ra pum pum pum
The sound of the boy's drum
Où vas-tu?
Where are you going?
Hier, mon père
Yesterday, my father
Pa ra pum pum pum
The sound of the boy's drum
A suivi le tambour
Followed the drum
Pa ra pum pum pum
The sound of the boy's drum
Le tambour des soldats
The drum of the soldiers
Pa ra pum pum pum
The sound of the boy's drum
Alors, je vais au ciel
So, I'm going to heaven
Pa ra pum pum pum
The sound of the boy's drum
Ra pum pum pum, ra pum pum pum
The beat of the drum, repeating
Là, je veux donner pour son retour
There, I want to give for his return
Mon tambour
My drum
Tous les anges
All of the angels
Pa ra pum pum pum
The sound of the boy's drum
Ont pris leurs beaux tambours
Took out their beautiful drums
Pa ra pum pum pum
The sound of the boy's drum
Et ont dit à l'enfant
And they said to the child
Pa ra pum pum pum
The sound of the boy's drum
Ton père est de retour
Your father is back
Pa ra pum pum pum
The sound of the boy's drum
Ra pum pum pum, ra pum pum pum
The beat of the drum, repeating
Et, l′enfant s'éveille
And the child wakes up
Pa ra pum pum pum
The sound of the boy's drum
Sur son tambour
On his drum
Writer(s): Katherine K. Davis, Harry Simeone, Henry V. Onorati
Contributed by Sadie R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.