MULTIMEDIA-ENGLISH
The Fox (Ylvis)
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3:45
Video page URL
https://multimedia-english.com/videos/music/the-fox-ylvis-4463
Description

Have you ever wondered what sound a fox makes? Well, some people have.


This song sounds too much fun for a professional singer... unless they are also TV showmen and then it's easier to understand. The group Ylvis is made up by brothers Bård Ylvisåker and Vegard Ylvisåke, from Norway.

Transcript

Dog goes woof
Cat goes meow
Bird goes tweet
and mouse goes squeek

Cow goes moo
Frog goes croak
and the elephant goes toot

Ducks say quack
and fish go blub
and the seal goes ow ow ow

But there's one sound
That no one knows
What does the fox say?

Ring-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding!
Geting-ding-ding-ding-dingetingeding!
Geting-ding-ding-ding-dingetingeding!
What the fox say?

Wa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pow!
Wa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pow!
Wa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pow!
What the fox say?

Hattee-hattee-hat-ho!
Hattee-hattee-hat-ho!
Hattee-hattee-hat-ho!
What the fox say?

Yoff-tchoff-tchoffo-tchoffo-tchoff!
Tchoff-tchoff-tchoffo-tchoffo-tchoff!
Yoff-tchoff-tchoffo-tchoffo-tchoff!
What the fox say?

Big blue eyes
Pointy nose
Chasing mice
and digging holes

Tiny paws
Up the hill
Suddenly you're standing still

Your fur is red
So beautiful
Like an angel in disguise

But if you meet
a friendly horse
Will you communicate by
mo-o-o-o-orse?
mo-o-o-o-orse?
mo-o-o-o-orse?

How will you speak to that
ho-o-o-o-orse?
ho-o-o-o-orse?
ho-o-o-o-orse?
What does the fox say?

Yacha-chacha-chacha-chow!
Chacha-chacha-chacha-chow!
Chacha-chacha-chacha-chow!
What the fox say?

Fraka-kaka-kaka-kaka-kow!
Fraka-kaka-kaka-kaka-kow!
Fraka-kaka-kaka-kaka-kow!
What the fox say?

A-hee-ahee ha-hee!
A-hee-ahee ha-hee!
A-hee-ahee ha-hee!
What the fox say?

A-oo-oo-oo-ooo!
Woo-oo-oo-ooo!
What does the fox say?

The secret of the fox
Ancient mystery
Somewhere deep in the woods
I know you're hiding
What is your sound?
Will we ever know?
Will always be a mystery?
What do you say?

You're my guardian angel
Hiding in the woods
What is your sound?

A-wop-bob-pop-wedop
wobe-wedo-wip-bob-wedop
A-wop-bob-pop-wedop

Will we ever know?

Bay-budabud-dum-bam

I want to kno-
I want to kno-
I want to know!

Abay-ba-da bum-bum bay-do

Explanations

DOG GOES WOOF= This is a common way of saying what sound an animal makes:
- cows go moo and birds go tweet-tweet
You can also use the verb SAY instead of GO.

SEAL= /si:l/ An animal living in the North Pole (see picture)

WHAT THE FOX SAY?= Of course the correct question would be "What does the fox say?", but in colloquial English inversion is sometimes dropped:
- You like it? = Do you like it?
- She's your sister? = is she your sister?

CHASING= To chase an animal is to run after it in order to catch it.
- Dogs chase cats and cats chase mice.

MICE= /maɪs/ irregular plural of MOUSE /maʊs/, one mouse, two mice (see picture)

DIGGING= To dig is to excavate.

TINY= Very small.

PAWS= The hands of animals (see picture)

STANDING STILL= To stand still is to stop moving.

FUR= The hairy skin of animals (see picture)

IN DISGUISE= With a different appearance. For example in carnival many people wear a disguise so they can pretend to be someone different (see picture)


MO-O-O-ORSE= Morse code (the language of short and long sounds used to send a message through telegraph)

ANCIENT= /nʃənt/ Very old; hundreds or thousands of years old.

GUARDIAN ANGEL= A celestial being designated by God with the job of taking particular care of you, guiding you to do good and protecting you from evil (and maybe from physical danger too?).
This is probably the first time in history that someone thinks that a fox may be a guardian angel in disguise.

THE WOODS= The forest.

Meaning

Not much of a message here, just an excentric song to make you laugh. Part of the comical effect is gained by the unexpected transition from an almost innocent cute baby song to a kind of crazy heavy metal rhythm. And the rest of the effect, by tackling this silly nonsense subject just as if they were trying to solve the mysteries of the universe and the meaning of life. Well, that, and all the gibberish animal talk they make up on the way :)