Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr. in Harlem, NYC, on 1 Ma… Read Full Bio ↴Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr. in Harlem, NYC, on 1 March 1927; died 25 April 2023) was an American singer, activist, and actor. As arguably the most successful Caribbean-American pop star, he popularized Jamaican mento folk songs which was marketed as Trinbagonian Calypso musical style with an international audience in the 1950s. His breakthrough album Calypso, released in 1956, was the first million-selling LP by a single artist.

Belafonte is perhaps best known for singing the "Banana Boat Song", with its signature lyric "Day-O". Throughout his career, he was an advocate for civil rights and humanitarian causes.

Belafonte won three Grammy Awards (including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award), an Emmy Award, and a Tony Award. In 1989, he received the Kennedy Center Honors. He was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1994. In 2014, he received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Academy's 6th Annual Governors Awards and in 2022 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Early Influence category and was the oldest living person to have received the honor.

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The Fox
Harry Belafonte Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The fox went out to the chase one night
Prayed to the moon to give him light
He had 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 reached the town
Many a mile to go that night before he reached the town

He ran 'til he came to a great big pen

Where the ducks and the geese were kept there in
Said a couple of you gonna grease my chin
Before I leave this town o, town o, town o
Couple of you gonna grease my chin before I leave this town
Couple of you gonna grease my chin before I leave this town

He grabbed the grey goose by the neck
Throwed a duck across his back
He didn't amind with the quack, quack quack
And the legs all dang-ling down-o, down-o, down-o
Didn't amind with the quack, quack quack
And the legs all dang-ling down-o, down-o, down-o
Didn't amind with the quack, quack quack
And the legs all dang-ling down-o, down-o, down-o

Old mother Flipper Flapper jumped out of bed
Out of the window she cocked her head
Cryin' John, John the grey goose is gone
And the fox is on the town-o, town-o, town-o
John, John the grey goose is gone
And the fox is on the town-o
John, John the grey goose is gone
And the fox is on the town-o

Well, the fox he came to his own den
There were the little ones, eight, nine, ten
Saying Daddy you better go back again
'Cause it must be a mighty fine town-o, town-o, town-o
Saying Daddy you better go back again
'Cause it must be a mighty fine town
Saying Daddy you better go back again
'Cause it must be a mighty fine town

Well, the fox and his wife without any strife

Cut up the goose with a carving knife
They never had such a supper in their life-acapo

Overall Meaning

Harry Belafonte's "The Fox" is a story about an adventurous fox who sets out on a journey at night. He prays to the moon for light, for he has a long way to go before reaching the town. When he finally reaches the town, the fox approaches a big pen, where ducks and geese are kept. He tells them that one or two of them should grease his chin before he leaves the town. The fox then grabs the grey goose by its neck and throws the duck across his back, not minding the quack, quack, quack sound it's making with its legs dang-ling down-o.

Afterward, a panicked mother, Old mother Flipper Flapper, realizes that her grey goose, John, is missing, and the fox is now in the town. She raises an alarm that the fox is in the town, and so begins the chase. The fox makes it back to its den with the goose and duck, where his little ones are waiting. They all enjoy a delicious supper that the fox and his wife prepare.

The song might appear like a simple and harmless tale, but the lyrics contain deeper meanings. Many people have interpreted the song to represent the struggles of African Americans in capturing their freedom from slavery. The fox symbolizes the enslaved Africans, the ducks, and geese the white plantation owners, and the town is the North, where freedom lay. The song teaches perseverance, cunningness, and resourcefulness in overcoming difficulties.

Line by Line Meaning

The fox went out to the chase one night
The fox left home in the middle of the night to go hunting

Prayed to the moon to give him light
The fox prayed for some light from the moon to assist him in his hunting

He had 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 reached the town Many a mile to go that night before he reached the town
The fox knew he had a long journey ahead before he could arrive at his destination

He ran 'til he came to a great big pen Where the ducks and the geese were kept there in Said a couple of you gonna grease my chin Before I leave this town o, town o, town o Couple of you gonna grease my chin before I leave this town Couple of you gonna grease my chin before I leave this town
The fox arrived at a large pen where ducks and geese were kept and requested a meal before leaving town

He grabbed the grey goose by the neck Throwed a duck across his back He didn't amind with the quack, quack quack And the legs all dang-ling down-o, down-o, down-o Didn't amind with the quack, quack quack And the legs all dang-ling down-o, down-o, down-o Didn't amind with the quack, quack quack And the legs all dang-ling down-o, down-o, down-o
The fox caught the grey goose and threw a duck over his back, carrying them for food without caring about the dangling legs and sounds they made

Old mother Flipper Flapper jumped out of bed Out of the window she cocked her head Cryin' John, John the grey goose is gone And the fox is on the town-o, town-o, town-o John, John the grey goose is gone And the fox is on the town-o John, John the grey goose is gone And the fox is on the town-o
A person named Flipper Flapper woke up, saw that the grey goose was missing and warned others that the fox was in town

Well, the fox he came to his own den There were the little ones, eight, nine, ten Saying Daddy you better go back again 'Cause it must be a mighty fine town-o, town-o, town-o Saying Daddy you better go back again 'Cause it must be a mighty fine town Saying Daddy you better go back again 'Cause it must be a mighty fine town
The fox returned to his den to his children, who believed he should go back to the town since it must be a great place

Well, the fox and his wife without any strife Cut up the goose with a carving knife They never had such a supper in their life-acapo
The fox and his wife enjoyed a delicious meal of goose without any conflict

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: PAUL CAMPBELL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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