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> Cyril Tawney > Songs > Old Daddy Fox

Daddy Fox / A Fox Jumped Up

[ Roud 131 ; Ballad Index R103 ; trad.]

Cyril Biddick and chorus sang Daddy Fox on the anthology album, The Columbia World Library of Folk and Primitive Music - Volume III: England (1955), collected and edited by Alan Lomax.

The Young Tradition sang Daddy Fox in 1967 on their second album, So Cheerfully Round. Peter Bellamy commented in the album's liner notes:

I almost learned Daddy Fox in the approved traditional manner, not at my mother's knee, but at the knee of my Great-Aunt Henrietta, who used to sing it to me when was very small. The only problem is that the version which I remember her singing was an American one. Perhaps she learned it from a Burl Ives record on Housewives' Choice. The version we sing here comes from Dartmoor and comes to us indirectly and somewhat changed from the singing of Cyril Tawney.

Cyril Tawney sang Old Daddy Fox on his 1970 Argo album Cyril Tawney Sings Children’s Songs from Devon and Cornwall. He commented in his liner notes:

Collected by Ralph Dunstan from Jim Thomas of Camborne, October 21, 1931. This old song is one of the most popular traditional pieces on either side of the Atlantic, but nowhere are versions more abundant than in Devon and Cornwall. Even in these modern times the song-hunter does not travel far in this region before encountering it. Tunes vary greatly, but the words are fairly rigid, being apparently unaffected not only by distance but by time too. I have seen a mediaeval version whose text differs little from that given here.

Melanie Harrold sang this song in 1983 as A Fox Jumped Up on Tim Hart and Friends' album Drunken Sailor and Other Kids Songs. This track was later included on their compilation CD Favourite Nursery Rhymes and Other Children's Songs.

Barry and Robin Dransfield sang Daddy Fox in 1994 on Barry's CD Be Your Own Man. He commented:

One of my very favourite English folksongs. I was struck with this one when I heard it performed by The Young Tradition in the sixties. Their sense of style and pace is still second to none and has certainly inspired me. The fox and family have a wonderful time and get away with it—brilliant. Thanks to Robin for joining me on this one, and I would like to dedicate this to Young Tradition members Royston Wood and Peter Bellamy, both great friends who tragically are no longer with is.

The Ripley Wayfarers (Mick Peat, Barrey Renshaw, Andrew Train, Arthur Renshaw and Phil Langham) married the words of Daddy Fox to the tune of The Carrion Crow and published this song on their 1971 LP Chips and Brown Sauce. It was also included in 2001 on the Fellside anthology Voices in Harmony.

The Witches of Elswick sang this version of Daddy Fox too in 2003 on their first CD Out of Bed. They commented in the liner notes:

This is a song… about a fox! Fay and Gillian used to sing versions of this when they were little, but these words were put to the tune of The Carrion Crow by the luscious Mick Peat, of Radio Derby fame.

Jon Boden sang Barry Dransfield's version of Daddy Fox as the January 2, 2011 entry of his project A Folk Song a Day.

Lyrics

The Young Tradition sing Daddy Fox	The Witches of Elswick sing Daddy Fox
Daddy Fox he went out one chilly night He prayed to the moon for to give him light, For he'd many many miles to go that night Before he came to his den-o, Den-o, den-o For he'd many many miles to go that night Before he came to his den-o	Daddy Fox went out on a chilly night     With a ling dong, dilly dong, kiro mi Praying for the moon to give him light     With a ring tong, dilly dong, kiro mi Chorus (after each verse): Hey, fa li, fa la, fa lero, Hey, fa lero, lero li; Up jumped John, a-ringin' on his bell, With a ling dong, dilly dong, kiro mi He ran till he came to a quick kip pen The ducks and geese they lay therein
So he grabbed the grey goose by the neck And he throwed a duck all across his back And he heeded not their quivvy-quivvy-quack Nor the legs all a-dangeling down-o Down-o, down-o, He heeded not their quivvy-quivvy-quack Nor the legs all a-dangeling down-o.	He grabbed the grey goose by the neck Threw a little duck all across his back
Then Old Mother Twiddle-Twoddle jumped out of bed And out of the window she stuck her little head Crying, “Oh John oh, now the grey goose is dead And the fox is away to his den-o.” Den-o, den-o, Crying, “Oh John oh, now the grey goose is dead And the fox is away to his den-o.”	Old Mrs Flipper-Flopper jumped out of bed Through the window she stuck her little head
So John then he rode up to the top of the hill He blowed his little horn both loud and shrill. “Play on,” said Reynard, “with your music still While I trot away to my den-o,” Den-o, den-o, “Play on,” said Reynard, “with your music still While I trot away to my den-o.”	And John rode up to the top of the hill He blew his little horn both loud and shrill The fox went back to his cozy den Little ones were there, they were eight, nine and ten
Then old Daddy Fox and his cubs and his wife They cut up the goose without any knife, Saying, “I've never ever had such a supper in my life And the cubs they can pick on the bones-o,” Bones-o, bones-o, Saying, “I've never ever had such a supper in my life And the cubs they can pick on the bones-o.”	The fox and his wife without any strife Cut up the goose with a fork and a knife

Melanie Harrold sings A Fox Jumped Up

Oh a fox jumped up one winter's night
And he begged the moon to give him light
For he'd many, many miles to trod that night
Before he reached his den O

And the first place he came to was a farmer's yard
Where the ducks and the geese declared it hard
That their nerves should be shaken and their rest so marred
By a visit from the fox O

And he took the grey goose by the neck,
He swung him right up across his back,
The grey goose cried out, “Quack, quack, quack,”
With his legs all dangling down O

Then Old Mother Slipper-Slopper jumped out of bed
And out of the window she popped her head
Saying, “John, John, the grey goose is gone
And the fox is away to his den O.”

So John ran up to the top of the hill
And be blew his whistle loud and shrill,
Said the fox, “That is pretty music, still
I'd rather be in my den O.”

So the fox went back to his hungry den
And his dear little foxes eight, nine, ten,
They said, “Good daddy, you must go there again,
You bring such cheer from the farm O.”

So the fox and his wife without any strife
Said they never ate a better goose in all their life,
They did very, very well without a fork or a knife
And the little ones picked the bones O.

Links

See also the Mudcat Café threads Lyr Add: Daddy Fox and Barbagal/Daddy Fox - which came first?.