The Fox is a traditional folk song (Roud 131) from England. 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 and Fox Went out on a Chilly Night, by Wendy Watson. The earliest version of the song was a Middle English poem, dating from the 15th century, found in the British Museum.
Typical lyrics are as follows:
In Joseph Ritson's Gammer Gurton's Garland (1810), the song is recorded (under the name "Dame Widdle Waddle") thus: The cover of the fox by Marty Robbins has the same lyrics as below.
The two earliest versions both date from the fifteenth century (c. 1500), and are written in Middle English. The first, usually called "The Fox and the Goose", goes as follows:
The second, called "The False Fox" ("false" here meaning "deceitful"), is as follows:
"The Fox" has been recorded or covered by:
1950s
Harry Belafonte, on Mark Twain and Other Folk Favorites RCA LPM-1022, LP (1954)
Pete Seeger, on Birds Beasts Bugs & Bigger Fishes Smithsonian Folkways, LP (1955)
Burl Ives, on Burl Ives Sings... For Fun (1956)
Odetta, on Odetta at the Gate of Horn (1957)
Salli Terri, on Songs of Enchantment (1959)
1960s
The Brothers Four, on the album Rally 'Round! (c. 1960)
Jimmie Rogers, from the album "Jimmie Rogers sings Folk Songs" (1960)
Tom GLazer from the Album "Come on and join in the game" (1960s) )
The Smothers Brothers, on the comedy album Think Ethnic (1963)
Jon Pertwee, on the album Children's Favourites (1966) MFP 1175
The Young Tradition, as "Daddy Fox," on the album So Cheerfully Round (1967) TRA 155
1970s
MacLean & MacLean, as a parody with vulgar lyrics on MacLean & MacLean Suck Their Way to the Top
Roger Whittaker, on the album "The Magical World of Roger Whittaker" (1975)
Tom Glazer, on the album "Children's Greatest Hits, Vol II" (1977)
1980s
Tim Hart, as "A Fox Jumped Up" on the album The Drunken Sailor and other Kids Favourites (1983)
Fred Penner, on Special Delivery, LP (1983), later reissued as Ebeneezer Sneezer, (1994), CD.
Nancy Cassidy, on the album "Kids Songs" (1986)
A cartoon made by Weston Woods (1988)
Benjamin Luxon and Bill Crofut, on the album Simple Gifts (1989)
1990s
Spider John Koerner, as "The Fox" on his album "Raised By Humans" (1992).
Peter, Paul and Mary, on the album Peter, Paul and Mommy, Too (1993)
Ceilidh Friends, as "Daddy Fox," on the album Yellowknife Evening (1994) MDS-2
Bill Staines, on his album One More River (1998)
Charlie Zahm, on his album The Celtic Balladeer (1999)
2000s
Nickel Creek (2000)
Da Vinci's Notebook, parodied as "The Gates" about a disgruntled laptop PC user going after Bill Gates on Brontosaurus (2002)
Eddie Blazonczyk and the Versatones, on Under The Influence (2005)
Tom Chapin, sung/narrated as an audio book with Chapin providing all the voices (2006)
The Boogers, on their album "Road to Rock" (2008)
2010s
Three Quarter Ale, on their album Shall We Gather by the Fire (2010)
Garrison Keillor and Guy's All Star Shoe Band, performed on a broadcast of Prairie Home Companion (2011)
Laura Veirs, on her album Tumble Bee: Laura Veirs Sings Folk Songs For Children (2011)
Rising Regina, on their album Rearranged (2011)
Misha Collins and Darius Marder, on a livestream (2016)
