10 Shocking Real-Life Sounds Of The Fox That Prove Ylvis Was Right To Ask 'What Does The Fox Say?'

The question has haunted the internet since 2013: "What did the fox say?" For over a decade, the nonsensical lyrics—"Ring-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding!"—from the Norwegian comedy duo Ylvis have cemented themselves in pop culture history, turning a simple animal query into a global phenomenon. As of late 2024, the song, "The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)," remains a touchstone for the absurdity of viral content and the enduring mystery of animal communication.

This article dives deep into the cultural impact of the song, provides a fresh look at the lives of the Ylvis brothers with their latest projects, and most importantly, reveals the surprising, often terrifying, scientific reality of what a fox actually says. The truth is far stranger than any "Wa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pow!" and proves why the question was so compelling in the first place.

The Architects of Absurdity: Bård and Vegard Ylvisåker

The global curiosity surrounding the fox's vocalizations was intentionally sparked by the brilliant marketing minds of the Ylvis brothers. The duo, composed of Bård and Vegard Ylvisåker, are not just one-hit wonders; they are seasoned Norwegian entertainers, comedians, and variety artists with a long history in television and stage performance.

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Ylvis Biography & Profile

• Duo Name: Ylvis
• Members: Bård Ylvisåker (born 1982) and Vegard Ylvisåker (born 1979)
• Origin: Bergen, Norway (though they spent part of their childhood in Africa where their father was an engineer)
• Debut: Debuted as professional variety artists in 2000
• Famous Shows: Known for their Norwegian talk show, *I kveld med YLVIS* (Tonight with Ylvis), which ran from 2011 to 2016. "The Fox" was originally produced as a promotional track for the fourth season of this show.
• Viral Hit: "The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)" (2013)
• Recent Projects (2024/2025): Ylvis continues to be a prominent force in the Norwegian entertainment industry, with recent projects including the release of the compilation album *Ylvis: Volume I* in 2024, showcasing their continued musical and comedic output.
• Genre: Comedy, Novelty Song, Electronic Dance Music

The brothers have built a career on high-production-value comedy sketches and songs that often go viral, such as "Stonehenge" and "Mr. Toot." "The Fox" was intended to be a failed song that they would mock on their talk show, but its catchy beat, professional production, and utterly baffling subject matter launched it into the international spotlight, becoming the top trending YouTube video of 2013.

The Great Scientific Fox-Fact Check: What a Fox Actually Says

The central premise of the song—that no one knows what a fox says—is, in fact, scientifically inaccurate. Experts on the Red Fox (*Vulpes vulpes*) have documented a surprisingly wide and complex range of vocalizations. Unlike the simple "Meow" or "Woof" described in the song, the fox's communication is nuanced and often startlingly human-like.

The Red Fox, a member of the *Canidae* family, uses different sounds for various purposes, including mating, territorial defense, and communication between kits and their parents. The reality of fox sounds is far more theatrical than any novelty song could capture.

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The 10 Real-Life Fox Vocalizations

If Ylvis had been aiming for scientific accuracy, the chorus would have been a lot longer. Here are the most common and compelling sounds a fox makes, proving that the answer to "what does the fox say" is "a lot of things."

1. The Fox Scream: This is arguably the most famous and disturbing fox sound. Often heard during the mating season (January to March), the high-pitched, loud scream is frequently mistaken for a woman screaming or a human-like cry. Male foxes will also use this sound to warn off competing mates.
2. The Bark: Foxes do bark, but their barks are shorter, sharper, and higher-pitched than a dog's bark. They use them for territorial warnings or as a general alarm.
3. Gekkering: This is a rapid, chattering, or stuttering sound, often made during aggressive encounters, such as when two foxes are fighting over food or territory. It sounds like a fast, guttural rattle.
4. The Chirp or Chirrup: When a fox is happy, calm, or greeting a friendly fox (or sometimes a human), they may make a soft, high-pitched chirping or chirruping sound. This is a sign of contentment.
5. The Howl: While not as common as in wolves or coyotes, foxes will howl, usually as a long-distance call to communicate their location to other foxes.
6. The Yell: A loud, sharp sound, similar to a bark but more extended, used to express displeasure or to signal danger.
7. The Whine: Young fox kits use a soft whine to call for their mother or to signal hunger or distress.
8. Coughing Bark: A specific type of bark that sounds like a cough, often used as a warning to other foxes in the area.
9. Snarls and Growls: Used during close-quarters confrontation, these sounds are typical signs of aggression and are meant to intimidate a rival.
10. Trills: Soft, rolling vocalizations used by vixen (female foxes) to communicate with their kits, a gentle sound of reassurance or calling them closer.

The Enduring Cultural Phenomenon of the Novelty Song

The success of "The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)" lies not in its scientific accuracy but in its ability to tap into a universal curiosity and the power of the internet's early viral culture. The song is a textbook example of a novelty song—a comedic track intended for a short burst of popularity—that transcended its genre to become a global meme.

The Anatomy of a Viral Hit

The song's longevity is rooted in several key factors that an SEO expert recognizes as essential for massive reach and topical authority:

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• A Compelling Question: The title, "What Does the Fox Say?", is an intent-based question that triggers a search query. It's a simple, yet profound question that most people have never considered. The sheer curiosity drove millions of initial clicks to the YouTube video.
• Contrasting Elements: The song juxtaposes familiar animal sounds ("Dog goes woof," "Cat goes meow") with the unknown fox sound, creating a comedic tension. The sudden shift to high-energy electronic dance music (EDM) in the chorus adds to the absurdity.
• High Production Value: Despite being a joke, the music video was professionally shot, choreographed, and edited, giving it a mainstream appeal that elevated it above typical amateur internet content.
• Nonsense Lyrics: The arbitrary sounds like "Chacha-chacha-chacha-chow" and "A-hee-ahee ha-hee" became instantly quotable and meme-worthy, generating endless parodies and user-generated content, which amplified its reach.

The song's success highlights the shift in how music and comedy are consumed, where a simple, high-concept idea can bypass traditional media gatekeepers and achieve worldwide recognition almost instantly. It was a cultural moment that blended music, comedy, and a dash of wildlife mystery into a single, unforgettable package.

Beyond the Chorus: The Legacy of Ylvis and the Fox

While "The Fox" peaked in 2013, its legacy continues to shape online culture. The song has been covered, parodied, and referenced in everything from children's books to scientific articles discussing animal vocalizations. It transformed the Ylvis brothers from national Norwegian celebrities into international comedy icons.

The final, true answer to "what does the fox say" is not a single sound, but a complex vocabulary of barks, howls, and screams—a truly wild and diverse set of vocalizations. The song's genius was not in providing the answer, but in posing the question to a world that had forgotten to ask it. It drove millions to search for the scientific truth, inadvertently becoming one of the greatest pieces of wildlife awareness media ever created, all thanks to a simple, catchy beat and a whole lot of "Wa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pow!"