"The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)" is a viral electronic dance novelty song by the Norwegian comedy duo Ylvis, released on YouTube on September 3, 2013
. The song humorously speculates about the sound a fox makes, offering absurd and playful possibilities such as "gering-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding!" and "fraka-kaka-kaka-kaka-kow!" in its chorus
. The video features the duo in animal costumes performing a dance in a forest, with lyrics that parody typical animal sounds and question what the fox might say, since its actual sound is less commonly known compared to other animals
. The song gained massive popularity, becoming the top trending video on YouTube in 2013 and accumulating over 1.1 billion views by October 2024
. It reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and topped the Norwegian Singles Chart
. Despite its success, the duo described the song as a comedic piece rather than a serious musical effort, created initially as a teaser for their Norwegian talk show "I kveld med YLVIS"
. In essence, "What the fox say?" is a humorous question posed by the song, with the answer given through a series of whimsical, nonsensical sounds rather than any real fox vocalization
. The song is recognized for its catchy tune, comedic absurdity, and satirical take on pop music and animal sounds. Thus, "What the fox say?" refers to the playful, invented sounds from the song that mimic what a fox might say, rather than an actual animal call.
