The Fox
trad
This is my 'hero' folk song, the archetype. It has metaphor, history, humor and whimsy, and three chords.
The fox went out on a chilly night
He prayed to the moon to give him light
For he'd many a mile to go that night
Before he reached the town-o, town-o, town-o
Many a mile to go that night
Before he reach the town-o.
He ran til he came to a great big pen,
The ducks and the geese were kept therein,
"A couple of you gonna grease my chin,
Before I leave this town-o, town-o, town-o,
A couple of you gonna grease my chin,
Before I leave this town-o."
He grabbed the gray goose by the neck,
He threw the duck across his back,
He didn't mind the quack, quack, quack,
And the legs all dangling down-o, down-o, down-o,
He didn't mind the quack, quack, quack,
And the legs all dangling down-o.
Grandmother Pitter-Patter she popped out of bed
Out of the window she stuck her head,
She cried, "John, John! The gray goose is gone,
And the fox is on the town-o, town-o, town-o!
John, John! The gray goose is gone,
And the fox is on the town-o!"
Then John, he went to the top of the hill,
Blew his horn both loud and shrill,
The fox he said, "I better flee with my kill,
They'll soon be on my trail-o, trail-o, trail-o!"
The fox he said, "I better flee with my kill,
They'll soon be on my trail-o!"
He ran till he came to his own den,
There were the little ones, eight, nine, ten,
They said, "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy better go back again,
'Cause it must be a mighty fine town-o, town-o, town-o!"
They said, "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy better go back again,
'Cause it must be a mighty fine town-o!
Then the fox and his wife without any strife,
Cut up the goose without any knife,
They never had such a supper in their life,
And the little ones chewed on the bones-o, bones-o, bones-o,
They never had such a supper in their life,
And the little ones chewed on the bones-o.
Early Music Memories
I'm sure my Uncle Ray sang this with us when we were really young kids. I have memories of him in Grandma’s kitchen, a gaggle of kids around him, singing with us. He did an especially exuberant rendition of Mississippi Mud.
When I was 9 years old, in grade 4, I went to a folk concert in Boston. I think it was a school excursion. The singer was John Falstaff or Flagstaff. He was wearing a suit, and I don't remember whether he had any accompaniment. I thoroughly enjoyed the concert. The Fox was one song he sang, and another was 'Froggie went a-Courtin'. I got his autograph. I don't know what the enchantment was for me, but from that time on, it was folk music I most related to.
Kelly, Micki, Alan, Martin, Chris
This photo was taken on Easter Sunday in 1958, showing the 5 little Skinners in their Sunday best. Easter was traditionally the time for new outfits. That’s me restraining Martin, while Micki keeps a firm grip on Christopher, who never could keep still. Alan is proud of his new outfit, well behaved and quite self-controlled.
Another influence was my paternal grandparents. Grammy was of Irish descent, second generation, I believe. We had a Clancy Brothers record, and I remember her demonstrating a few Irish dance steps to one of the tracks. Pappy was mixed Irish/English. He used to sing what I now know as mouth music – lots of skiddly-addles, diddly-iten-dos and so on, while rhythmically drumming his fingers on the table. The sing-alongs around the pianola were also a significant influence.
I related to the apparently simple arrangements and instrumentation, to the stories, the history, the whimsy, the humor and the tragedies. In trying to understand what some of the songs were about, I learned a lot about history, relationships, cultural mores and other people and places.
Find out more: The Pianola
