The sound comes from The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?), released in 2013 by Norwegian comedy duo Ylvis as a joke song for their television show. Its absurd lyrics, catchy electronic pop production and animal-sound chorus helped the music video explode on YouTube, where it passed hundreds of millions of views and became one of the defining viral songs of the early 2010s. Years later, short clips of the chorus still circulate in memes and edits because the hook is instantly recognisable, easy to quote and funny even out of context.
About this sound
The chorus from Ylvis's 2013 viral hit asking what the fox says, with its playful animal noises. Creators use it for funny reveals, animal clips and meme edits.
This clip captures the unforgettable hook from Ylvis's novelty song, where a smooth pop vocal asks what sound a fox makes before breaking into a string of silly, high-pitched animal noises. The melody is bright and bouncy, the rhythm is easy to follow, and the made-up fox sounds land somewhere between a yelp, a chirp and a laugh, which makes the whole thing feel deliberately absurd. Listeners instantly recognise it even without the full song, and it usually triggers a smile or a singalong because the joke is so simple: everyone knows what dogs and cats say, but the fox remains a mystery.
