Carmen Campagne (September 8, 1959 – July 4, 2018) was a Canadian singer an… Read Full Bio ↴Carmen Campagne (September 8, 1959 – July 4, 2018) was a Canadian singer and children's entertainer.

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.

La Petite Chèvre
Carmen Campagne Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Il était une chèvre
De fort tempérament
Qui revenait d′Espagne
Et parlait l'allemand

Ballotant de la queue
Et grignotant des dents
Ballotant de la queue

Et grignotant des dents

Elle revenait d′Espagne
Et parlait l'allemand
Elle entra par hasard
Dans le champ d'un normand

Ballotant de la queue
Et grignotant des dents
Ballotant de la queue
Et grignotant des dents

Elle y vola un chou
Qui valait bien cent francs
Et la queue d′un poireau
Qu′en valait bien autant

Ballotant de la queue
Et grignotant des dents
Ballotant de la queue
Et grignotant des dents

Le normand l'assigna
Devant le parlement
La chèvre comparut
Et s′assit sur un banc

Ballotant de la queue
Et grignotant des dents
Ballotant de la queue
Et grignotant des dents

Elle vit que son affaire
Allait fort tristement
Lors, elle ouvrit la porte
Et prit la clé des champs

Ballotant de la queue
Et grignotant des dents
Ballotant de la queue
Et grignotant des dents

Ballotant de la queue
Et grignotant des dents
Ballotant de la queue
Et grignotant des dents

Ballotant de la queue
Et grignotant des dents

Ballotant de la queue
Et grignotant des dents

Overall Meaning

The song "La Petite Chèvre" by Carmen Campagne tells the story of a strong-willed goat who returns from Spain and speaks German. As she wanders through a Normandy field, she steals a cabbage worth a hundred francs and a leek worth just as much. The owner of the field, a Norman, takes her to court over the theft, and the goat appears before the parliament, sitting on a bench. She realizes that the case is not going in her favor and decides to flee, taking the key to the fields with her.

The lyrics are playful and whimsical, painting a vivid picture of the goat's mischievous nature and the absurdity of her trial. It's a lighthearted song that captures the spirit of childhood imagination and fantasy.

Overall, "La Petite Chèvre" celebrates the playfulness of childhood imagination and creativity while also emphasizing the importance of standing up for oneself and facing the consequences of one's actions.

Line by Line Meaning

Il était une chèvre
There was a goat

De fort tempérament
With a strong personality

Qui revenait d′Espagne
Who came back from Spain

Et parlait l'allemand
And spoke German

Ballotant de la queue
Swinging her tail

Et grignotant des dents
Nibbling her teeth

Elle revenait d′Espagne
She came back from Spain

Et parlait l'allemand
And spoke German

Elle entra par hasard
She accidentally entered

Dans le champ d'un normand
In the field of a Norman

Elle y vola un chou
She stole a cabbage there