It was late 2013. You couldn't walk into a grocery store or scroll through Facebook without hearing that piercing, rhythmic yelping. "Ring-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding!" It was everywhere. It was annoying. It was brilliant. But looking back, What Does the Fox Say wasn't just a flash-in-the-pan meme or a piece of kids' entertainment that accidentally escaped into the wild. It was a calculated masterpiece of absurdist comedy that fundamentally changed how we view viral success in the digital age.
Honestly, it’s kinda weird how well the song holds up.
Most viral hits from that era—think "Gangnam Style" or "The Harlem Shake"—rely on a specific dance move or a heavy bass drop. But Ylvis, the Norwegian duo consisting of brothers Bård and Vegard Ylvisåker, did something different. They took a high-budget, professional EDM production and paired it with the most idiotic premise imaginable. They weren't trying to be pop stars; they were talk show hosts who wanted to fail upward. And fail they did, right into the Billboard Hot 100 top ten.
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The Stargate Connection: Why It Sounded So Good
You might’ve noticed that the production value of the track is suspiciously high. That’s because it wasn't produced by some bedroom hobbyist in Oslo. It was produced by Stargate. Yes, the same Stargate responsible for Rihanna’s "Diamonds," Katy Perry’s "Firework," and Beyoncé’s "Irreplaceable."
The story goes that Ylvis had been helping the production duo with a birthday video. In exchange, Stargate offered to produce a track for the brothers' upcoming season of their talk show, I kveld med YLVIS. The brothers decided that instead of trying to make a "real" hit, they would waste this incredible opportunity on a song about fox noises. They assumed it would be a funny segment for their local Norwegian audience and then disappear into the archives.
They were wrong.
The contrast is the key. You have these sweeping, cinematic synthesizers and a soul-searching vocal performance that sounds like something straight out of a Coldplay B-side. Then, the chorus hits. Instead of a profound lyric, you get "Gering-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding!" It’s a textbook example of "anti-comedy." The joke isn't just the lyrics; the joke is that such a stupid song sounds so professional.
What Does a Fox Actually Say?
We should probably address the elephant (or fox) in the room. Foxes don't say "Wa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pow." If you’ve ever lived near a wooded area, you know the real sound is much more terrifying.
Biologically speaking, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) has a wide vocal range. They bark, they purr, and they "gekk" (a stuttering throat noise). But most famously, they scream. During mating season, the female vixen lets out a blood-curdling shriek that sounds remarkably like a human being in distress. It’s the kind of sound that makes you want to lock your doors and call the police, not dance in a forest wearing a onesie.
A Breakdown of Real Fox Sounds:
- The Scream: A high-pitched, haunting wail used primarily to attract mates or defend territory.
- The "Gekk": A rhythmic, chattering sound used during play or social interactions.
- The Bark: Short, sharp yaps that sound somewhat like a small dog but with a more "cough-like" quality.
Ylvis ignored all of this. They went for the most surreal interpretations possible. By asking What Does the Fox Say, they tapped into a universal childhood curiosity. We know what cows say. We know what ducks say. But the fox? The fox remained a mystery to the average city dweller. Ylvis filled that void with pure nonsense, and the internet ate it up.
The Mechanics of a Viral Fever Dream
Why did it go viral?
Timing. In 2013, YouTube was entering its "golden age" of high-quality produced comedy. The music video was visually stunning. It featured professional choreography, elaborate costumes, and high-end cinematography. When people shared it, they weren't just sharing a funny song; they were sharing a high-quality music video that felt like it belonged on MTV.
It also hit that "uncanny valley" of sincerity. Bård and Vegard perform the song with 100% commitment. There’s no winking at the camera. They aren't laughing. They are singing about the "secret pronunciation" of an ancient animal with the gravitas of a Shakespearean monologue. That commitment is what makes the comedy work. If they looked like they were joking, it wouldn't have been half as funny.
Beyond the Meme: The Legacy of Ylvis
People often label Ylvis as "one-hit wonders." In the United States, that’s technically true. But in Scandinavia, they were already massive. They are incredibly talented musicians and comedians who have been doing this for decades.
If you dig into their catalog, you’ll find gems like "Stonehenge," a power ballad about the frustrations of not knowing who built the ancient monument, or "The Cabin," a hilarious take on the stereotypical Norwegian weekend getaway. They’ve spent their careers deconstructing musical genres. What Does the Fox Say was just the one time the rest of the world caught on to their brand of hyper-specific, high-budget absurdity.
Interestingly, the song became a massive hit in the most unexpected places. It wasn't just a YouTube thing. It was featured on Glee. It was a staple on Radio Disney. It even spawned a children’s book that became a New York Times bestseller. The "fox" became a brand.
The Psychology of the "Earworm"
Musicologists have actually looked into why this specific song gets stuck in your head. It uses a very simple "call and response" structure.
- The Verse: Sets a calm, inquisitive tone.
- The Pre-Chorus: Builds tension with the "big blue eyes" and "tiny paws."
- The Drop: Releases all that tension with explosive, repetitive nonsense.
Repetition is the engine of the earworm. Your brain likes patterns. When the song provides a pattern that is easy to mimic but weird enough to be novel, it creates a "cognitive itch." The only way to scratch that itch is to sing it. Or, more likely, to annoy your coworkers by humming it for three hours straight.
What We Get Wrong About Viral Content
Most marketing "experts" will tell you that virality is a science. They’ll talk about "engagement hooks" and "shareable metrics." But What Does the Fox Say proves that sometimes, the biggest hits are the ones that make the least sense.
You can't manufacture the weirdness of this song in a boardroom. It requires a specific kind of creative freedom that only comes when you aren't trying to please everyone. Ylvis made this for themselves. They made it to be a joke for a few thousand people in Norway. Because it was so authentic to their weird sense of humor, it resonated globally.
Lessons from the Fox
If you're a creator or just someone who enjoys the weirder corners of the internet, there are a few things to take away from the fox phenomenon:
- Quality Matters: If the song had been recorded on a cheap microphone in a basement, nobody would have cared. The high production value forced people to take the joke seriously.
- Commit to the Bit: Never half-heart a joke. If you're going to sing about fox noises, do it like you're performing at the Grammys.
- Absurdity is Universal: You don't need to speak Norwegian to understand that a man in a fox suit dancing in the woods is funny.
The next time you hear that familiar "Jacha-chacha-chacha-chow," don't just roll your eyes. Appreciate it for what it is: a perfectly executed piece of performance art that tricked the entire world into asking a question that didn't need an answer.
Practical Steps to Revisit the Magic
- Watch the "Stonehenge" video: If you liked the fox, this is the natural next step. It’s arguably a better song and even funnier.
- Listen to the acoustic versions: Ylvis has performed the song live with just a guitar or a full orchestra. Hearing the "fox noises" in a stripped-back setting makes the absurdity even more apparent.
- Check out "The Cabin": It's the perfect example of how they use R&B tropes to talk about mundane things like wood-burning stoves and outhouses.
The era of the "viral song" has changed significantly with TikTok, where 15-second clips reign supreme. But the legacy of What Does the Fox Say remains a testament to the power of a big budget, a weird idea, and two brothers who weren't afraid to look absolutely ridiculous.