Jim Corcoran (born 10 February 1949 in Sherbrooke, Quebec) received a degre… Read Full Bio ↴Jim Corcoran (born 10 February 1949 in Sherbrooke, Quebec) received a degree in Boston, Massachusetts towards the end of the 1960s. 1960. Formerly a seminarian, he returned to Quebec in 1970 intending to teach Latin at Bishop's University in Lennoxville, practicing the guitar during his free time. His first language was English, but would base his music career on the French language.

In 1972, he formed the duo Jim et Bertrand with Bertrand Gosselin and began performing in the Eastern Townships. During the 1970s, the group was associated with Quebec folk music. Corcoran began a solo career in francophone music after the group disbanded in 1979.

In the late 1980s, he became host of the CBC Radio program À Propos, featuring French music artists to the English network's audiences. À Propos remains on the CBC Radio One schedule as of 2006.

He also portrayed the part of David in performances of the opera Nelligan in 1990.

Chair de poule
Jim Corcoran Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Nous voilà encore
Sur une corde à linge
Lessivés, enlacés et lourds
Besoin d'mouvement
Besoin d'air
Besoin de chair de poule

Prends ma chemise

Prends mes mains
Prends mon portefeuille
Ce soir on sort
Choisis l'heure, l'endroit
Et nos personnages
Ce soir on sort
Ce soir

J'ai toujours voulu danser
Mais je me le refusais
J'n'étais pas sûr des pas
J'n'savais vraiment pas qui inviter
À danser
J'ai toujours voulu danser
Et je me le refusais
Dorénavant je ne me le refuserai
Plus jamais

Je veux perdre mes souliers et mon self-control
Renverser une table de pool
Me mordre la langue par un excès de zèle
Perforer mon self-control
Ce soir on sort

Prends ma chemise, mes mains
Et mon portefeuille
Ce soir on sort
Besoin d'air
Besoin d'mouvement
Ce soir on sort
Besoin de chair de poule
Besoin de chair

J'ai toujours voulu danser
Mais je me le refusais
J'n'étais pas sûr des pas
J'n'savais vraiment pas qui inviter
À danser
J'ai toujours voulu danser
Et je me le refusais

Dorénavant je ne me le refuserai
Plus jamais

Overall Meaning

The lyrics in "Chair de poule" by Jim Corcoran reflect a desire for excitement and freedom. The chorus repeats the lines "Besoin d'air, besoin d'mouvement, besoin de chair de poule" (Need for air, need for movement, need for goosebumps), emphasizing the need for something exhilarating and memorable. The singer invites someone to join them on a night out, offering their shirt, hands, and wallet. They express a desire to dance, admitting that they once refused the opportunity out of uncertainty and fear. However, they now vow to never deny themselves the chance to dance again.

The second verse reaffirms this determination, as the singer lists physical actions they want to take to release energy: losing their shoes, overturning a pool table, and biting their tongue from overzealousness. The repeated refrain underscores the need for that rush of adrenaline and excitement, which the singer has been denying themselves for too long.

Overall, "Chair de poule" is a song about taking risks and embracing the moment, even if it means leaving behind our inhibitions.

Line by Line Meaning

Nous voilà encore
Here we are again

Sur une corde à linge
On a clothesline

Lessivés, enlacés et lourds
Weary, embraced and heavy

Besoin d'mouvement
Need for movement

Besoin d'air
Need for air

Besoin de chair de poule
Need for goosebumps

Prends ma chemise
Take my shirt

Prends mes mains
Take my hands

Prends mon portefeuille
Take my wallet

Ce soir on sort
Tonight we're going out