La P'tite Peste
Joyeux Urbains Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Le rideau bouge, il y a des loups qui se cachent sous ma couette
Mes parents usent le peu de sommeil qui leur reste
Si j'y vais, je serai comme toujours la p'tite peste
A la récré, tous les autres enfants m'embêtent
Je me confie, mais la maîtresse me rabroue et me rejette
Je l'agace, j'en ai marre que les gens me détestent
J'ai peur du vide, j'ai cinq étages sous les pieds
Et les passants, le nez en l'air, n'appellent pas les pompiers
Le vertige, comme si j'étais en haut de l'Everest
Si je lâche, je serai comme toujours la p'tite peste
A l'hôpital, emmitouflé dans de beaux draps
Le docteur sue, l'infirmière tremble, ils sont penchés sur mon cas
J'ai mon corps qui me lance à chacun de leurs gestes
Si j'y reste, je serai comme toujours la p'tite peste
J'ai peur du noir, j'ai des fantômes plein la tête...
The lyrics of Joyeux Urbains's song La P'tite Peste describe the anxieties and fears of a young child who feels misunderstood and unloved. The child is afraid of being alone in the dark and has ghosts haunting their thoughts. The child's parents are exhausted by their struggles to sleep and their worries about their child. The child feels like a burden and a nuisance to everyone around them; thus, they are labeled "la p'tite peste" (the little pest).
The lyrics also address the bullying and rejection that the child faces at school, which the teacher ignores or punishes them for. The child does not understand why they are treated that way, and it only adds to their feeling of being unwanted. They feel frustrated and fed up with being hated and misunderstood by people.
The child's fears are not limited to just the dark and bullies but also include heights and hospitals. The child's fears show that they yearn for compassion, care, understanding, and holding their hand during their time of need. The song's lyrics are meant to evoke emotions of empathy and sympathy for the child's situation and to raise awareness that often children's fears and anxieties are brushed off as being a "pest" rather than being listened to and understood.
Line by Line Meaning
J'ai peur du noir, j'ai des fantômes plein la tête
I am scared of the dark, I have ghosts filling up my head
Le rideau bouge, il y a des loups qui se cachent sous ma couette
The curtain moves, there are wolves hiding under my blanket
Mes parents usent le peu de sommeil qui leur reste
My parents use what little sleep they have left
Si j'y vais, je serai comme toujours la p'tite peste
If I go there, I will always be the little pest
A la récré, tous les autres enfants m'embêtent
At recess, all the other kids bully me
Je me confie, mais la maîtresse me rabroue et me rejette
I confide, but the teacher scolds and rejects me
Je l'agace, j'en ai marre que les gens me détestent
I annoy her, I am tired of people hating me
Si j'le crie, je serai comme toujours la p'tite peste
If I shout, I will always be the little pest
J'ai peur du vide, j'ai cinq étages sous les pieds
I am afraid of heights, I have five floors beneath my feet
Et les passants, le nez en l'air, n'appellent pas les pompiers
And the passersby, with their noses in the air, don't call the firefighters
Le vertige, comme si j'étais en haut de l'Everest
The dizziness, as if I were at the top of Everest
Si je lâche, je serai comme toujours la p'tite peste
If I let go, I will always be the little pest
A l'hôpital, emmitouflé dans de beaux draps
At the hospital, wrapped up in beautiful sheets
Le docteur sue, l'infirmière tremble, ils sont penchés sur mon cas
The doctor sweats, the nurse trembles, they are focused on my case
J'ai mon corps qui me lance à chacun de leurs gestes
My body hurts with each of their actions
Si j'y reste, je serai comme toujours la p'tite peste
If I stay there, I will always be the little pest
Contributed by Liliana H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.