John Field (born May 15, 1962) is an Australian guitarist, singer, songwriter, and composer who has worked with The Wiggles for several years, and is responsible for writing and co-writing some of their biggest and most popular hits, such as "Hot Potato", "Get Ready To Wiggle", and "The Monkey Dance". He is the younger brother of musician and former Wiggles manager Paul Field and the older brother of original blue Wiggle Anthony Field; prior to the Wiggles' creation, John was a member of the rock band The Cockroaches alongside his brothers and founding purple Wiggle Jeff Fatt.
Outside of the Wiggles, Field serves as the guitarist, co-lead vocalist, and bandleader of The John Field Band and John Field and The Epics and performs live with brother Paul as the musical duo The Field Brothers, with the former and latter groups having released two studio albums each as of 2016. He also serves as the owner and main composer of John Field Production Music, a production music company that licenses stock music for use in various media, and has written musicals such as 2001's Evie & the Birdman and 2017's Who Loves Me?, which feature several performers who have worked for the Wiggles, including Sam Moran, Ryan Desaulnier, Emma Pask, and Simon Pryce.
He is married to Jacqueline Field, who has also worked for the Wiggles (notably as a voice actress for Dorothy the Dinosaur) and together, they have four children: Seamus, John Paul, Carla. and Julius. Field is also the brother in law to Australian performer Leon Fallon.[1]
Career with The Wiggles[]
Field (second row, left) and the band during sessions for the self-titled debut.
Field recording guitar during sessions for Let's Eat!
Field rehearsing during sessions for Taking Off!
Field has worked with the band since the beginning of their creation in 1991, serving as a core contributing songwriter and regular musician; although he was never an official member of the group, he busked with them around the streets of Sydney and occasionally appeared at their concerts during their early years of performing live. Along with his brother Paul, John also co-produced albums for the Dorothy the Dinosaur spinoff franchise.
As of 2014, he has stopped actively working with the group, although he briefly returned to contribute to the 2017 album Och Aye the G'Nu! (a collaboration with Jimmy Barnes). He also made an guest appearance onstage during the January 18th reunion show of 2020, performing "Hot Potato" in tribute to the then-ill Greg Page.
Post-Wiggles Activities[]
Since ceasing work with The Wiggles, Field has moved on to other projects, such as co-creating & co-writing the children's program The Outback Aussie Show with Leon Fallon, writing and directing the music for the ABC Kids television show SplashDance, writing the story, music, and lyrics for the children's books Stanley's Learning the Trumpet and Why Is That Emu Wearing One Red Shoe?, and the 2017 children's album Animal Songs and Sounds.
In 2017, Field started his own record label Moomaluma, which had its first release with the album 13 Voices on August 14th that year. He has also released two other solo albums with ABC Music, 2020's Dipped in Love and 2021's The Lilt of Gravity, and wrote the music for the ABC Kids show The Nannas and the Poppas.
Wiggles Media Credits[]
Albums[]
For a full list of songs written and arranged by Field, see John Field Songs
- The Wiggles - Co-Writer of "Get Ready To Wiggle", "Dorothy the Dinosaur", and "Spot the Dalmatian"
- Here Comes a Song - Co-Writer of "The Dreaming Song"
- Yummy Yummy - Co-Writer of "Hot Potato", "The Monkey Dance", and "D.O.R.O.T.H.Y. (My Favourite Dinosaur)"
- Big Red Car - Writer of "Dorothy's Dance Party", Co-Writer of "Wags the Dog", "Hat On My Head" and "Do the Flap", Guitar and Sequencing on "Dorothy's Dance Party"
- Wake Up Jeff! - Writer of "Henry's Underwater Big Band", Co-Writer of "Bing Bang Bong (That's a Pirate Song)" and "Wave to Wags"
- Wiggly, Wiggly Christmas - Writer of "Have a Very Merry Christmas", "Go Santa Go", and "Unto Us, This Holy Night"
- The Wiggles Movie Soundtrack - Writer of "Boom Boom", "Mrs Bingles Theme", "Tap Wags", "Ballerina, Ballerina", and "Ooh It's Captain Feathersword"
- Toot Toot! - Writer of "Food Food Food (Oh How I Love My Food)", Co-Writer of "Look Both Ways", "Go Captain Feathersword, Ahoy!" and "Do the Wiggle Groove"
- It's a Wiggly Wiggly World! - Co-Writer of "In The Wiggles' World", "Hey, Hey, Hey We're All Pirate Dancing", "Blow Me Down" and "Let's Go (We're Riding In The Big Red Car)"
- Yule Be Wiggling - Co-Writer of "Just Can't Wait For Christmas Day", "Here Come The Reindeer", "And the World Is One On A Christmas Morning", "Christmas Around The World", and "Wags Loves To Shake Shake", Guitar
- Hoop-Dee-Doo it's a Wiggly Party - Co-Writer of "Wiggly Party", "Move Like an Emu", "Fun on the Farm", "Let's Spend a Day at the Beach", and "Caveland"
- Wiggly Safari - Co-Writer of "Australia Zoo", "Do The Owl", "Feeding Time", "Kookaburra Choir", "We're The Crocodile Band" and "You Might Like A Pet"
- Wiggle Bay - Songwriter, Guitar
- Playhouse Disney 2 - Co-Writer of the "Playhouse Disney Theme"
- Go To Sleep Jeff! - Guitar
- Whoo Hoo! Wiggly Gremlins! - Songwriter, Guitar
- Top of the Tots - Songwriter, Guitar
- Cold Spaghetti Western - Songwriter, Guitar
- Santa's Rockin'! - Songwriter, Co-Arranger of "Away in a Manger" and "O Come All Ye Faithful", Guitar
- LIVE Hot Potatoes! - Guitar
- Sailing Around the World - Songwriter, Guitar
- Here Comes The Big Red Car - Co-Writer of "Sorry Again", Guitar, Sequencing (archived recordings, uncredited)
- It's Time to Wake Up Jeff! - Guitar
- Splish Splash Big Red Boat - Co-Writer of "Big Red Boat"
- Racing to the Rainbow - Songwriter, Co-Arranger of "Polly Put The Kettle On", Guitar
- Dorothy the Dinosaur - Co-Writer of "Swinging On A Swing"
- Getting Strong! - Songwriter, Guitar
- Pop Go The Wiggles! - Guitar
- You Make Me Feel Like Dancing - Co-Writer of "The Shimmie Shake!", Co-Arranger of "The Turkey In The Straw", Other Guitar Work
- Sing a Song of Wiggles - Song Arranger, Other Guitar Work
- The Wiggles Go Bananas! - Songwriter, Co-Arranger of "The Lion Is King"
- Dorothy the Dinosaur Meets Santa Claus - Producer, Songwriter, Backing Vocals, Guitar, Mandolin, Percussion
- Hot Poppin' Popcorn - Songwriter, Other Guitar Work
- Let's Eat! - Songwriter, Backing Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
- Dorothy the Dinosaur's Rockin' Christmas - Recording and Engineering, Writer of "Elfis is in the House!", Electric/Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar
- Ukulele Baby! - Writer of "Henry's Spinning", Co-Writer of "Cluck, Cluck City" and "Toy Box", Musician
- It's Always Christmas With You! - Writer of "I Just Can't Sleep on Christmas Eve!", Musician
- The Wiggles' Big Birthday! - Co-Writer of "Thank You, Mr. Weatherman!", Musician
- Surfer Jeff - Songwriter, Co-Arranger of "Waltzing Matilda", Musician
- Celebration! - Musician
- Taking Off! - Songwriter, Guitar
- Furry Tales - Writer of "Say the Dance, Do the Dance", Co-Writer of "There Are So Many Animals", "Here Come the Animals, Two by Two!" and "Dr Emma's Veterinary Surgery", Musician
- Pumpkin Face - Co-Writer of "The Sound of Halloween" and "Mumbles the Monster", Musician
- Go Santa Go! - Writer of "We Three Elves", Co-Writer of "Jay is The Champion Christmas Wrapper", Musician
- Apples & Bananas - Co-Arranger of "This Little Piggy Went to Market", "Shortnin' Bread", "The Wheels on the Bus", "I'll Tell Me Ma", and "Fa La Ninna", Musician
- Wiggle House - Co-Writer/Arranger of "BRC is the Big Red Car", "Shock the World", and "Little Sir Echo"
- Rock & Roll Preschool - Co-Writer of "Wake Up!" and "You Got The Drop"
- Dial E For Emma! - Co-Writer of "Jazz Party" and "Ballet Party"
- Lachy! - Co-Writer of "Float Through the Sky"
- Och Aye the G'Nu! - Writer of "Shake Your Shaggy, Shaggy Mane", Co-Writer of "Two Pairs of Shoes", "The Blackbird Ballet", and "My G'Nu Kazoo", Acoustic Guitar on "I Got New Shoes", "Two Pairs of Shoes", "The Blackbird Ballet", and "My G'Nu Kazoo", Ukulele on "I Got New Shoes" and "My G'Nu Kazoo", Backing Vocals on "We Love Haggis, Stew and Shortbread Too!"
- The Emma! & Lachy! Show - Co-Writer of "Welcome to the Emma & Lachy Show"
- Party Time! - Co-Writer of "To Have a Little Party"
- Emma! 2 - Co-Writer of "To the Park We'll Go With Our Bows"
- Choo Choo Trains, Propeller Planes & Toot Toot Chugga Chugga Big Red Car! - Co-Writer of "Social Distancing" and "Zoo Be Doo Dee"
- Le James Café - Co-Writer of "Smashed Avocado"
- Halloween Party - Co-Writer of "Do Do the Robot"
- The Sound of Halloween - Musician (archived recordings)
- Wiggle and Learn: 100 Educational Songs for Children - Co-Writer of "Morning Tea Party" and "Bath Song (To Have a Lovely Bath)"
- We See You - Co-Writer of "Volunteer Firefighter"
- Wiggle Up, Giddy Up! - Co-Writer of "Standing in Line"
Video Appearances[]
- Yummy Yummy - Captain Feathersword (during "Hot Potato")
- Big Red Car - Captain Feathersword (during "Dorothy's Dance Party")
- Getting Strong! - Backing Musician
Other Credits[]
- The Dorothy the Dinosaur and Friends Video - Co-Writer of "Hey, It's The Dorothy The Dinosaur Show!"
- Yule Be Wiggling - Additional Footage
- Wiggly Waffle - Songwriter
- Everybody Clap! Everybody Sing! - Featured Guest
External Link[]
- Field's former website (archived)