"Hot Potato" is a Wiggles song from the Yummy Yummy album and video. It was originally written by John Field on the spot when he and The Wiggles were busking. The song was originally called "Hot Tamale", but it was re-written as "Hot Potato" once it got an official studio release.
This song has been performed at almost every Wiggles concert known since its creation and can be argued to be the most recognizable and iconic Wiggles songs since the 1990s.
1994 Transcript[]
Greg: Hello, everybody. We're The Wiggles. I'm Greg.
Murray: I'm Murray.
Anthony: I'm Anthony.
Jeff: And I'm Jeff, and this is our friend, John the Cook.
John the Cook: (He's waving to the camera.) Hi, everybody.
Murray: What have you got there, John?
John the Cook: I've got some cold spaghetti.
Anthony: Cold Spaghetti? Oh, look at it. It's all Wiggly.... spaghetti.
John the Cook: And mashed banana.
Greg: Yes, there's some bananas here to be mashed up, all ooey-gooey squishy-squashy.
John the Cook: And these are hot potatoes.
Murray: Hot potatoes! Wow! (He picks up a hot potato, until, it gets too hot. Then, tossed over to the others.) Ooh! Ooh! Hot! Hot!
Jeff: Ouch!
Anthony: Ooh, ooh, it is hot!
Greg: Ooh! Ow, you're right! It's very hot. We'll put that back there (He put his potato down.) So let's sing a song all about hot potatoes, cold spaghetti and mashed banana. But make sure you watch out for Captain Feathersword, because he loves eating everybody's food.
1998 Transcript[]
Greg: Hello, everybody. We're the Wiggles. I'm Greg.
Murray: I'm Murray.
Anthony: I'm Anthony.
Jeff: And I'm Jeff, and this is our friend, Paul the Cook.
Paul: (waves to the camera) Hello, everybody.
Murray: What have you got here, Paul?
Paul: Well, I've got some cold spaghetti.
Anthony: Ooh, cold spaghetti, a Wiggly spaghetti.
Paul: And I've got some mashed banana.
Greg: Oh! All ooey-gooey, squishy-squashy mashed banana.
Paul: And I've got some hot potatoes. (Paul gives the Wiggles some hot potatoes, which they then throw in the air because they’re too hot)
Murray: Ooh, they're hot!
Anthony: Ooh!
Greg: Ouch! Well, let's sing a song all about hot potatoes, cold spaghetti and mashed banana. Keep an eye out for Captain Feathersword, the friendly pirate. He loves eating everybody else's food. (They wiggle their fingers.)
Lyrics[]
English[]
Hot potato, hot potato
Hot potato, hot potato
Hot potato, hot potato
Potato
Potato, potato, potato
Cold spaghetti, cold spaghetti (Cold spaghetti, cold spaghetti)
Cold spaghetti, cold spaghetti (Cold spaghetti, cold spaghetti)
Cold spaghetti, cold spaghetti (Spaghetti)
Spaghetti (Spaghetti)
Spaghetti, spaghetti, spaghetti
Chorus
Squeaky voices: Ooh wiggy wiggy wiggy, ooh wiggy wiggy wiggy
Deep voice: Gimme that, gimme that, gimme that food
Squeaky voices: Ooh wiggy wiggy wiggy, ooh wiggy wiggy wiggy
Deep voice: Gimme that, gimme that
Mashed banana, mashed banana (Mashed banana, mashed banana)
Mashed banana, mashed banana (Mashed banana, mashed banana)
Mashed banana, mashed banana (Banana)
Banana (Banana)
Banana, banana, banana
CHORUS
Hot potato, hot potato (Hot potato, hot potato)
Hot potato, hot potato (Hot potato, hot potato)
Hot potato, hot potato (Potato)
Potato (Potato)
Potato, potato, potato
Whoo!
Español (Papa Caliente)[]
Una papa muy caliente
Una papa muy caliente
Una papa muy caliente
Papita
Papita, papita caliente
Espagueti que está frío (Espagueti que está frío)
Espagueti que está frío (Espagueti que está frío)
Espagueti que está frío (está frío)
Espagueti (espagueti)
Espagueti, espagueti, espagueti
Oh wiggle wiggle wiggle, oh wiggle wiggle wiggle
Dame más, dame más, dame más, más
Oh wiggle wiggle wiggle, oh wiggle wiggle wiggle
Dame más, dame más, más
Plátanitos aplastados (Plátanitos aplastados)
Plátanitos aplastados (Plátanitos aplastados)
Plátanitos aplastados (aplastados)
Plátanitos (plátanitos)
Plátanitos, plátanitos, plátanitos
Oh wiggle wiggle wiggle, oh wiggle wiggle wiggle
Dame más, dame más, dame más, más
Oh wiggle wiggle wiggle, oh wiggle wiggle wiggle
Dame más, dame más, más
Una papa muy caliente (Una papa muy caliente)
Una papa muy caliente (Una papa muy caliente)
Una papa muy caliente (caliente)
Papita (papita)
Papita, papita caliente
Whoo!
Mandarin (Taiwan)[]
香甜玉米,香甜玉米
香甜玉米,香甜玉米
香甜玉米,香甜玉米
甜玉米
甜玉米,甜玉米,甜玉米
長長麵線,長長麵線(長長麵線,長長麵線)
長長麵線,長長麵線(長長麵線,長長麵線)
長長麵線,長長麵線(長麵線)
長麵線(長麵線)
長麵線,長麵線,長麵線
Ooh wiggy wiggy wiggy, ooh wiggy wiggy wiggly
真好吃,真好吃,好吃,好吃
Ooh wiggy wiggy wiggy, ooh wiggy wiggly wiggly
真好吃,好吃,好吃
搓搓湯圓,搓搓湯圓(搓搓湯圓,搓搓湯圓)
搓搓湯圓,搓搓湯圓(搓搓湯圓,搓搓湯圓)
搓搓湯圓,搓搓湯圓(搓湯圓)
搓湯圓(搓湯圓)
搓湯圓,搓湯圓,搓湯圓
Ooh wiggy wiggy wiggy, ooh wiggy wiggy wiggly
真好吃,真好吃,好吃,好吃
Ooh wiggy wiggy wiggy, ooh wiggy wiggly wiggly
真好吃,好吃,好吃
香甜玉米,香甜玉米(香甜玉米,香甜玉米)
香甜玉米,香甜玉米(香甜玉米,香甜玉米)
香甜玉米,香甜玉米(甜玉米)
甜玉米(甜玉米)
甜玉米,甜玉米,甜玉米
Song Credits[]
Written by Murray Cook, Jeff Fatt, Anthony Field, Greg Page and John Field, published by Wiggly Tunes Pty Ltd, previously published by EMI Music and Copyright Control.
ReWiggled: A Tribute to The Wiggles[]
© 2011 The Living End
Recorded at Red Door Sounds, Collingwood, Melbourne
The Living End appear courtesy of Dew Process Recordings
Nursery Rhymes[]
Vocals: Lachlan Gillespie, Simon Pryce, Emma Watkins
Acoustic Guitar: Anthony Field
Bass Guitar: Alex Keller
Piano: Lachlan Gillespie
Drums: Jackie Barnes
Trivia[]
- In late 1996, The Wiggles put in a different instrumental track for the song.
- The Taiwanese version is called Sweet Corn because potatoes are not eaten as commonly in Taiwan.
- On Xuxa's album "Xuxa Só Para Baixinhos", the Brazilian version is "Batatinha Bem Quentinha".
- According to Murray, when the Wiggles decided to make it a kids song, they believed that many children would not know what a tamale is, so they changed it to the more universal Hot Potato.
- Most instrumental versions such as the one on Play Piano with... The Wiggles sound similar to the one in the 1994 version. Musical director from Barney and Friends, Joseph Phillips did the music for the US trailer of The Wiggles.
- An instrumental track of this song is played during the end credits of Hot Potatoes! The Best of The Wiggles DVD as well as Big Red Plane.
- On The Wiggles' YouTube Page, the Nursery Rhymes version was uploaded on June 1st 2017 and the Meet the Orchestra version was uploaded on March 22nd 2018. The AUSLAN (Australian Sign Language) version was uploaded on September 23rd 2020. WildBrain uploaded the song on one of their many YouTube channels on November 2, 2021.
- The "Whoo!" at the very end wasn't added until late 1994 concerts.
- The 1994 version is played on the Big Red Car Kiddie Ride.
- The song won Children's Composition of the Year at the 1994 APRA awards.
- This is the first song to be engineered by Tony Douglass.
- This and "Butterflies Flit" are the only songs from LIVE! Hot Potatoes! that didn't appear in Series 4.
- From 2013-2021, the first Hot Potato verse was repeated like the end.
Performances/Appearances[]
Album Tracks[]
- Yummy Yummy
- The Wiggles Movie Soundtrack (Young Wiggles)
- 大家來Wiggle!
- LIVE Hot Potatoes!
- Dorothy the Dinosaur's Travelling Show!
- ITunes LIVE
- The Wiggles' Big Birthday!
- ReWiggled: A Tribute to The Wiggles (performed by The Living End)
- Dorothy the Dinosaur's Beach Party!
- The Wiggles Meet The Orchestra!
- The Best of The Wiggles (2016 album)
- Let There Be Rock-a-Bye Your Bear
- ReWiggled (performed by DZ Deathrays)
- Ready, Steady, Wiggle!
- Hot Potato! The Best Of The OG Wiggles
- The Best Of The Wiggles (2023 album)
Videos[]
- Yummy Yummy (1994)
- Wiggledance!
- The Wiggles Movie (The Little Wiggles)
- Yummy Yummy (1998)
- Captain Kangaroo's Birthday Party at Sea World
- The Wiggly Big Show
- Dorothy the Dinosaur Goes to Hospital
- 大家來Wiggle!
- LIVE Hot Potatoes!
- Splish Splash Big Red Boat (in segment, "rock'n'roll" style)
- Wiggledancing! Live In The U.S.A.
- Wiggledancing! Live In Concert
- On The Road With The Wiggles
- The Wiggles Big, Big Show!
- Dorothy the Dinosaur's Travelling Show!
- The Wiggles' Big Birthday!
- Celebration!
- Dorothy the Dinosaur's Beach Party!
- Hot Potatoes! The Best Of The Wiggles (2014)
- The Wiggles Meet The Orchestra!
- Wiggle Around Australia
- Nursery Rhymes
- The Best of The Wiggles
- The Wiggles Reunion Show
- We're All Fruit Salad!: The Wiggles' Greatest Hits
- Fruit Salad Big Show
TV Series' Episodes Appearances[]
Let's Wiggle[]
- Hot Potato (Live)
The Wiggles (TV Series 1)[]
12-minute versions (Sprout exclusive)[]
22-minute versions[]
- Foodman
- Funny Greg (Live)
The Wiggles (TV Series 2)[]
Lights, Camera, Action, Wiggles![]
11-minute versions[]
22-minute versions[]
The Wiggles Show! (TV Series 4)[]
11-minute versions[]
22-minute versions[]
The Wiggles Show! (TV Series 5)[]
11-minute versions[]
- Episode 14 (Live)
- Episode 15 (cameo in segment, "rock'n'roll" style)
- Episode 47 (Live)
22-minute versions[]
- The Gorilla Dance (Live)
- Pirate Radio (cameo in segment, "rock'n'roll" style)
- The Baby Crocodile (Live)
Ready, Steady, Wiggle! (Series 1)[]
- A Lot of Camelot!
- Let's Go Driving in the Big Red Car! (Live at Wigglehouse)
- Beautiful Ballet (Concert)
- We Like Fruit
- Clean Your Teeth! (Concert)
- The Glass Is Half Full! (Concert)
- Is That Simon?
Ready, Steady, Wiggle! (Series 2)[]
- Little Sir Echo (Band performance)
- Irish Dancing! (Live at Wigglehouse)
- Emma, the Firefighter (Concert)
Wiggle Town![]
- Hot Potato
- Yummy Yummy (Live)
Wiggle, Wiggle, Wiggle![]
- Hot Potato
- The Wiggly Plane (Live in Yarrabah)
The Wiggles' World![]
- Emma's Weather Bag (Live)
Live from Hot Potato Studios[]
Ready, Steady, Wiggle! (Series 3)[]
Ready, Steady, Wiggle! (Series 4)[]
The Wiggles Show! (Latin America)[]
- Episodio 4
- Episodio 9
- Episodio 14 (Live)
- Episodio 18
- Episodio 25 (Live)
Ready, Steady, Wiggle! (Series 5)[]
- Wiggly Sing-Along Day (Live)
YouTube/TV Specials[]
- Sailing Around the World Live!
- The Wiggles Live In Concert!
- The Wiggles Big, Big Show In The Round
- The Wiggles Australia Day Concert Special
Concerts[]
- Dorothy the Dinosaur's Birthday Party Tour (1993-1995)
- Carols in the Domain (1994)
- Big Red Car Tour (1995)
- Wake Up Jeff! Tour (1996)
- The Wiggles Big Show (1997)
- Toot Toot Show! (1998)
- Yule Be Wiggling Christmas Show (2000)
- Wiggly Party: Live in Concert (2001)
- North American Tour (2002)
- Wiggly Safari Show (2002)
- Wiggly Safari Tour (2003)
- The Wiggles Live In Concert! (2003)
- Lights, Camera, Action, Show! (2003)
- The Wiggles In Concert! (2004)
- United States Tour 2004 (2004)
- Santa's Rockin'! Live In Concert (2004)
- The Wiggles LIVE in Concert Tsunami Relief Benefit Concert! (2005)
- The Wiggles Live In Concert! (2005)
- Sailing Around the World Live! (2005/2006)
- LIVE Hot Potatoes! (2005 tour) (2005/2006)
- Wiggledancing! Live On Stage (2006)
- The Wiggles: Live at Disney World (2006)
- The Wiggles 15th Birthday Concert (2006)
- Racing to the Rainbow Show (2006/2007)
- Pop Go The Wiggles Show! (2007/2008)
- The Wiggles' Concert for UNICEF (2008)
- You Make Me Feel Like Dancing Tour! (2008)
- The Wiggles Go Bananas! Live in Concert (2009)
- The Wiggles Big, Big Show In The Round (2009)
- Wiggly Circus (2010)
- Greatest Hits In The Round (2010)
- ITunes LIVE (2011)
- Ukulele Baby! Live In Concert (2011)
- The Wiggles' Big Birthday Show! (2011)
- Getting Strong Live in Concert! (2012)
- The Celebration Tour! (2012)
- Christmas Celebration Tour! (2012)
- Taking Off!: Live in Concert (2013)
- Ready, Steady, Wiggle! Tour (2013/2014)
- Apples & Bananas Tour (2014)
- The Wiggles Big Show (2014)
- Rock & Roll Preschool Tour! (2015)
- The Wiggles' 25th Anniversary Reunion Show (2016)
- Wiggle Town Tour! (2016)
- DANCE DANCE! The Wiggles BIG SHOW! (2016)
- Wiggle Around Australia Tour (2017)
- The Wiggles Big Show! (2017)
- Wiggle Around New Zealand Tour (2017)
- Wiggly Christmas Big Show! (2017)
- Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle! Tour (2018)
- Wiggle Pop! Big Show (2018)
- Wiggle Fun Tour! (2019)
- Party Time Big Show (2019)
- The Original Wiggles Reunion Show For Bush Fire Relief (2020)
- We're All Fruit Salad! (Tour) (2021)
- Fruit Salad TV Big Show Tour (2022)
- The OG Wiggles Reunion Tour! (2022)
- The Wiggles Superhero Tour (2022)
- The Wiggles Big Show (2022 Tour) (2022)
- Holiday Party Big Show (2022)
- Falls Festival (2022-2023)
- Summer Holiday Fun Tour! (2023)
- Hello! We're The Wiggles In Concert (2023)
- Ready, Steady, Wiggle! Tour! (2023 tour) (2023)
- The OG Wiggles Reunion for Heart of the Nation (2023)