The Fox (folk song)

The Fox is a traditional folk song. It is also the subject of a picture book, "The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night", by Peter Spier. According to 'Blugrass Picker's Tune Book' by Richard Matteson, the earliest version of this song appears to have been a Middle English poem, dating from the fifteenth century found in the British Museum [ See extract in Google books [http://books.google.com/books?pg=PA78&lpg=PA78&sig=cwfPJOlrIUikkeFm_U5qdlIBf6c&id=42bL-Ot-8gUC&ots=-2HjMgFHZd&output=html] ] [ George Perkins, "A Medieval Carol Survival: "The Fox and the Goose," Journal of American Folklore 74 (1961): 235-244. [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0021-8715%28196107%2F09%2974%3A293%3C235%3AAMCS%22F%3E2.0.CO%3B2-X] ] .

Lyrics

Typical lyrics are as follows:

1. The fox went out for a chase one night
prayed to the moon to give him light
for he had many a mile to go that night
before he reached the town-o town-o town-o
he had many a mile to go that night
before he reached the town-o.

2. He ran right up to the farmers pen
ducks and the geese were kept there in
he said a couple of you gonna grease my chin
before I leave this town-o town-o town-o
a couple of you gonna grease my chin
before I leave this town-o.

3. He grabbed the grey goose by the neck
slung the little one over his back
he didnt mind the quack quack quack
and the legs all dangling down-o down-o down-o
he didn't mind the quack quack
and the legs all dangling down-o.

4. Old Mother Pitter Patter jumped out of bed
out of the window she popped out her head yelling
John, John the grey goose is gone
and the fox is on the town-o town-o town-o
John, John the grey goose is gone
and the fox is on the town-o.

5. John he ran to the top of the hill
blew his horn both loud and shrill
the fox said I'd better flee with my kill
for he'll soon be on my trail-o trail-o trail-o
the fox said I'd better flee with my kill
for he'll soon be on my trail-o.

6. He ran right up to his cozy den
there were his little ones eight nine ten
they said daddy won't you please go back again
for it must be a mighty fine town-o town-o town-o
daddy wont you please go back again
for it must be a mighty fine town-o.

7. The fox and his wife without any strife
cut up the goose with a fork and knife
they'd never had such a supper in their life
and the little ones chewed on the bones-o bones-o bones-o
never had such a supper in their life
and the little ones chewed on the bones-o.

Versions

"The Fox" has been recorded or covered by:

1950s

* Odetta - "Odetta at the Gate of Horn" (1957)
*Burl Ives

1960s

* The Brothers Four - on the album "Rally 'Round!" (c. 1960)
* The Smothers Brothers - on the comedy album "Think Ethnic!" (1963)

1980s

* Tim Hart as "A Fox Jumped Up" on the album "The Drunken Sailor and other Kids Favourites" (1983)
* A cartoon made by Weston Woods (1988)

2000s

* Nickel Creek (2000)
* Da Vinci's Notebook - parodied as "The Gates" about a disgruntled laptop PC user going after Bill Gates on "Brontosaurus" (2002)
* Little Mo' McCoury - Ronnie McCoury fronting the Del McCoury band for a children's bluegrass album (2007)

References