The Fox (folk song)
Encyclopedia
The Fox is a traditional folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....

 song. It is also the subject of at least two picture books, The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night: an old song, illustrated by Peter Spier
Peter Spier
Peter Spier is a Dutch-born American author and illustrator who has published more than thirty children's books.-Biographical information:...

 and Fox Went out on a Chilly Night, by Wendy Watson. 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.

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 therein

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 didn't mind the quack quack quack

and the legs all dangling down-o, down-o, down-o

he didn't mind the quack quack quack

and the legs all dangling down-o.

4. Old Mother Pitter Patter jumped out of bed

out of the window she popped 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 won't 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

They never had such a supper in their life

and the little ones chewed on the bones-o.

1950s

  • Odetta
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     - Odetta at the Gate of Horn (1957
    1957 in music
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    )
  • Burl Ives
    Burl Ives
    Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives was an American actor, writer and folk music singer. As an actor, Ives's work included comedies, dramas, and voice work in theater, television, and motion pictures. Music critic John Rockwell said, "Ives's voice .....

  • Harry Belafonte
    Harry Belafonte
    Harold George "Harry" Belafonte, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, actor and social activist. He was dubbed the "King of Calypso" for popularizing the Caribbean musical style with an international audience in the 1950s...

     - Mark Twain and Other Folk Favorites
    Mark Twain and other Folk Favorites
    Mark Twain and other Folk Favorites is the debut album by Harry Belafonte, released by RCA Victor in 1954. It is out of print. All songs are however available on the CD box Island in the Sun: The Complete Recordings 1949 – 1957 from Bear Family Records, Germany.- Track listing :# "Mark Twain" –...

    RCA LPM-1022, LP (1954)
  • Pete Seeger
    Pete Seeger
    Peter "Pete" Seeger is an American folk singer and was an iconic figure in the mid-twentieth century American folk music revival. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of The Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead...

     - Birds Beasts Bugs & Bigger Fishes Smithsonian Folkways, LP (1955)

1960s

  • The Brothers Four
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    The Brothers Four are an American folk singing group, founded in 1957 in Seattle, Washington, known for their 1960 hit song "Greenfields".-History:...

     - on the album "Rally 'Round!" (c. 1960)
  • Bob Grossman Elektra EKL-215, LP (1961)
  • The Smothers Brothers - on the comedy album "Think Ethnic!" (1963)
  • Jon Pertwee
    Jon Pertwee
    John Devon Roland Pertwee , was an English actor. Pertwee is best known for his role in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, in which he played the third incarnation of the Doctor from 1970 to 1974, and as the title character in the series Worzel Gummidge...

     - on the kiddies album "Children's Favourites
    Children's Favourites
    Children's Favourites was a BBC Radio programme from 1954 broadcast on the Light Programme on Saturday mornings from 9:00. A precursor had been called Children's Choice after the style of Housewives' Choice....

    " (1966) MFP 1175

1980s

  • Tim Hart
    Tim Hart
    Tim Hart was an English folk singer and multi-instrumentalist, best known as a founding member of electric folk band, Steeleye Span.-Early years:...

     as "A Fox Jumped Up" on the album "The Drunken Sailor and other Kids Favourites
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    " (1983)
  • A cartoon made by Weston Woods (1988)
  • Benjamin Luxon
    Benjamin Luxon
    Benjamin Matthew Luxon CBE is a retired British baritone.-Biography:He studied with Walter Grünner at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and established an international reputation as a singer when he won a third prize at the 1961 ARD International Music Competition in Munich...

     and Bill Crofut on the album "Simple Gifts" (1989)

1990s

  • Charlie Zahm
    Charlie Zahm
    Charlie Zahm is an American singer and player of Celtic, maritime and traditional American music. Zahm sings baritone, and plays guitar, tin whistle, and the bodhran, among other instruments.-Personal Life:...

     on his album "The Celtic Balladeer" (1999)
  • Peter, Paul and Mary
    Peter, Paul and Mary
    Peter, Paul and Mary were an American folk-singing trio whose nearly 50-year career began with their rise to become a paradigm for 1960s folk music. The trio was composed of Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey and Mary Travers...

     on the album "Peter, Paul and Mommy, Too" (1993)

2000s

  • Nickel Creek
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     (2000
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    See also:* 2000 in music Record labels established in 2000-Events:*January – Gary Glitter is released from jail, two months before his sentence for sexual offences ends.*January 1**John Tavener is knighted in the New Year's Honours List....

    )
  • Da Vinci's Notebook
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    Da Vinci's Notebook was an award-winning comedic a cappella singing group.-History:Richard Hsu was a founding member and Greg "Storm" Dicostanzo a very early member of the a cappella group "The Generics" from the University of Maryland before forming DaVinci's Notebook...

     - parodied as "The Gates" about a disgruntled laptop PC user going after Bill Gates
    Bill Gates
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     on Brontosaurus (2002)
  • Tom Chapin
    Tom Chapin
    Tom Chapin is a Grammy Award-winning American musician, entertainer, singer-songwriter and storyteller.-Biography:Chapin attended State University of New York at Plattsburgh and graduated in 1966. From 1971-1976, he hosted a TV show called Make a Wish...

     - sung/narrated as an audio book with Chapin providing all the voices (2006)
  • Little Mo' McCoury - Ronnie McCoury fronting the Del McCoury band for a children's bluegrass album (2007)

2010s

  • Three Quarter Ale
    Three Quarter Ale
    Three Quarter Ale is an American band from Atlanta, Georgia, that is known for its performances at local Renaissance fairs . It is composed of "character" members Ariana Pellayle , Rosemary Quench , and Wicked Pete Speakeasy...

     on their album "Shall We Gather by the Fire" (2010
    2010 in music
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    )
  • Garrison Keillor
    Garrison Keillor
    Gary Edward "Garrison" Keillor is an American author, storyteller, humorist, and radio personality. He is known as host of the Minnesota Public Radio show A Prairie Home Companion Gary Edward "Garrison" Keillor (born August 7, 1942) is an American author, storyteller, humorist, and radio...

     and Guy's All Star Shoe Band on Prairie Home Companion, October 8, 2011.
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