This is a public service announcement warning you about the latest abomination upon the lord, Ylvis’ “The Fox”.
Posted on YouTube on September 3rd, 2013, it’s the latest viral infection music video made and performed by Bård Urheim Ylvisåker and Vegard Urheim Ylvisåker, a Norwegian variety show duo who call themselves “Ylvis”.
Currently, it’s No.29 on the Billboard Hot 100 list, and has over 36 million views and a half a million thumbs up on YouTube, signaling the approval of this latest electronic dance musical masterpiece.
Suppose you don’t want to watch the video, (and that’s understandable, as it can’t be unheard) but you still want to know what it’s about. Well, remember that time when you were a child and you sat peacefully in grandpa’s warm lap while he would mimic the various sounds of animals in a picture book? Perhaps you were taught with one of Mattel’s See n Say. You’ve heard what an elephant said, or what a dog said, but have you ever wondered what the fox said? Well, Ylvis will give you their theory, which sounds like a bunch of noises you’d hear from the combined blood curdled helium screams of Pauly Shore, Satan, and a dying wildebeest:
The video spans a length of 3 minutes and 45 seconds, featuring multiple partygoers dressed as animals (some say furrys), with the two singers of Ylvis dressed in orange fox costumes. They pose the question, “What does the fox say?” and proceed to come up with a variety of possibilities, while they dance in a laser lit forest with back up dancers and an old man reading a book to his presumed grandson. The song appears on the top 100 iTunes charts of 21 countries around the world, reaching #1 in Norway, #6 in Finland, and #9 in Estonia.
Upon the international success of the song, Ylvis told Mother Jones that they were “quite surprised”, saying that the music video was “supposed to entertain a few Norwegians for three minutes – and that’s all”. Originally, the song was meant to promote the new season of the local Norwegian show, I kveld med Ylvis.
Here is what a fox actually says.