Hot Potato

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"Hot Potato" is a song from Yummy Yummy.

It was originally written by John Field during the busking years of The Wiggles. The song was originally called Hot Tamale in 1991, 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 has been one of the most recognisable and iconic Wiggles songs since the 90s.

Song Lyrics

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!

Song Credits

Written by John Field (credited to Murray Cook, Jeff Fatt, Anthony Field, Greg Page and John Field). Initially published by EMI Music, later Wiggly Tunes Pty Ltd.

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 (video)

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.
The song was written on the spot by John Field when he and the four Wiggles would busk in the early days. The song was intended as a response to the Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons' Rag Doll, and was originally called Hot Tamale. According to Murray, the Wiggles 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.
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) was also uploaded on September 23rd 2020.
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.