The Wiggles (album)

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The Wiggles (album)
Released	July 11, 1991
Recorded	February 1991
Genre	Children's music
Label	ABC Music (ver.1) Phonogram/ABC Records (ver.2)
Producer	Anthony Field
Length	34:41
Nextalbum	Here Comes a Song (1992)

"The Wiggles" is the debut album of The Wiggles, released on July 11, 1991 by ABC Music. This is the only appearance of Phillip, who left the group shortly after the album's release.

This album is dedicated to Paul Field's daughter, Bernadette.

History

Background and development

In 1991, while working with the early childhood music department at Macquarie University, Phillip Wilcher met musician and former member of the Australian rock group The Cockroaches, Anthony Field, who was studying child development. According to Wilcher, Field asked him to join The Wiggles, which would become "Australia's foremost children's entertainment act", and to help them produce the album. The album was dedicated to the memory of Paul Field's infant daughter, Bernadette, who had died of SIDS in 1988. Wilcher financed and "contributed the most musically to the debut album", composing 75% of the music. Like a university assignment, they produced a folder of essays that explained the educational value of each song on the album. They needed a keyboardist "to bolster the rock-n-roll feel of the project", so Field asked his old band mate Fatt, for his assistance in what they thought would be a temporary project. Recording sessions were held at Wilcher's home, and the album cost approximately A$4,000 to produce. The group reworked a few Cockroaches tunes to better fit the genre of children's music; for example, according to Field, a Cockroaches song he wrote, "Mr. Wiggles Back in Town" became "Get Ready To Wiggle" and inspired the band's name because they thought that wiggling described the way children dance. There was also a piece by Phillip Wilcher, "Summer Dance", that appeared on the album, as "Archie's Theme".

Tracklist

1. Get Ready To Wiggle - 1:54
2. Rock-A-Bye Your Bear - 1:48
3. Dorothy The Dinosaur - 2:21
4. Mischief the Monkey - 0:42
5. Lavenders Blue - 1:29
6. Glub Glub Train - 0:16
7. Archie's Theme - 0:19
8. Montezuma - 0:29
9. Archie's Theme (Reprise) - 0:19
10. Ducky Ducky - 0:13
11. A Froggy He Would A-Wooing Go - 3:36
12. Maranoa Lullaby - 2:02
13. Stars - 0:07
14. Star Lullaby - 2:02
15. Okki Tokki Unga - 1:53
16. O Epoe Tooki Tooki - 1:34
17. Vini Vini - 0:53
18. Spot the Dalmatian - 2:22
19. Johnny Works With One Hammer - 0:45
20. The Man In The Moon - 0:18
21. This Old Man - 2:31
22. Suo Gan - 1:43
23. Wind - 0:14
24. Joseph John's Lullaby - 1:14
25. Desert Dreaming - 1:49
26. Get Ready To Wiggle (Reprise) - 1:54

Personnel

The Wiggles are...
Phillip Wilcher Piano, vocals
Murray Cook Guitar, bass guitar, vocals and water bubble sounds
Gregory Page Lead vocals, guitar, hand claps
Jeff Fatt Accordian, Emax, sequencing, "mischief's" voice 
Anthony Field Tin whistle, didgeridoo, vocals, chief Kabasa player
Produced by Anthony Field
Engineered by Steve Pomfrett
Recorded in February 1991 at Tracking Station Recording Studios, Sydney.

Release Dates

• Australia (original): July 11, 1991
• Australia (re-release): 1998

Trivia

• This is the first album to feature Murray Cook, Jeff Fatt, Anthony Field, Greg Page, and Dorothy the Dinosaur.
  • This is the only album to feature Phillip Wilcher.
• Phillip Wilcher mentioned that on a YouTube comment, The Wiggles thought one of the songs Vini Vini was renditioned in the public domain, but it was claimed by a French composer. The song was removed from this album and from the concert video Wiggledance! (AKA Wake Up Jeff! Tour) in 1998.
• The music from Dorothy the Dinosaur was adapted from Another Saturday Night written by John Field, set to lyrics by Murray Cook, after he observed that children have a fascination for dinosaurs.
• Captain Feathersword, Wags the Dog, and Henry the Octopus don't appear on this album.
• Get Ready To Wiggle was adapted from the same unreleased song written for The Cockroaches. The Cockroaches version would've likely come out by 1992.
• Archie's Theme was a re-recorded version of Summer Dance by Phillip Wilcher.
• Phillip Wilcher wrote Mischief the Monkey and the spoken recordings Stars, The Man In The Moon and Desert Dreaming. Also, the traditional songs which are credited to The Wiggles are principally arranged by him.
• Greg Page wrote in his autobiography that The Wiggles were moving away from the more traditional songs provided by Phillip Wilcher towards a more rock and roll sound that was solidified on the tracks that Phillip Wilcher did not perform. This is a possible reason for his dismissal.
• Anthony Field asked Phillip Wilcher to contribute more original material, so, in response, Phillip wrote Mischief the Monkey in front of him in about five minutes.
• Two songs Get Ready To Wiggle and Dorothy the Dinosaur were filmed for ABC For Kids Video Hits and ABC For Kids Video Hits Volume 2 videos.
• Vini Vini is the only song on this album that doesn't use instruments, only hand claps.
• Phillip Wilcher adapted Brahms' Lullaby to Joseph John's Lullaby. It would later be used as the basis of the song Go To Sleep Jeff (Brahms' Lullaby) for the album of the same name in 2003.
• Star Lullaby was later adapted to Shining Around The World for Wiggly, Wiggly Christmas! in 2017.
• A re-issue of this album with all 26 tracks was released by Phonogram and marketed by Polygram. Another re-issue of this album with all 26 tracks was released by ABC Records and distributed by EMI.
• The booklet doesn't come with song lyrics and booklet doesn't have any photos. Instead, it only has black text on a white background (excluding the front and back cover).
• The album's title is not to be confused with the band that made the album.
• This is the only album where Greg's first full name "Gregory" is listed.
• The booklet says that the chief Kabasa player is actually a person who plays the Brazilian percussion instrument, the Cabasa.
• This was the first album to be manufactured and distributed by EMI Music Group Australasia.
• This was the first album to be engineered by Steve Pomfrett.
• This was the first album to be recorded at Tracking Station Recording Studios.
• The song "Mischief the Monkey" is now owned by Will Wagner.

Goofs

• In the booklet, the accordion is misspelled as "Accordian".
• On the back cover, Spot the Dalmatian is misspelled as Spot the Dalmation.
• On the back cover, The word "the" was capitalized on Dorothy the Dinosaur and The Man In The Moon.
• In the booklet on the Cover pic information, Phillip Wilcher's name is misspelled as Philip Wilcher.

Music Videos

Get Ready To Wiggle - Original Music Video, 1991 - The Wiggles

Dorothy The Dinosaur - Original Music Video, 1991 - The Wiggles

Add a photo to this gallery

The Wiggles Discography Murray, Jeff, Anthony, Greg and Phillip (1991) The Wiggles (1991) Murray, Jeff, Anthony and Greg (1992-2006, 2012) Here Comes a Song (1992) • The Adventures Of Captain Feathersword, The Friendly Pirate (1993) • Yummy Yummy (1994) • Big Red Car (1995) • Wake Up Jeff! (1996) • Wiggly, Wiggly Christmas (1996) • The Wiggles Movie Soundtrack (1997) • Toot Toot! (1998) • It's a Wiggly Wiggly World! (2000) • Wiggle Time! (2000) • Yule Be Wiggling (2000) • Hoop-Dee-Doo it's a Wiggly Party (2001) • Wiggly Safari (2002) • Wiggle Bay (2002) • Go To Sleep Jeff! (2003) • Whoo Hoo! Wiggly Gremlins! (2003) • Top of the Tots (2003) • Cold Spaghetti Western (2004) • Santa's Rockin'! (2004) • LIVE Hot Potatoes! (2005) • Sailing Around the World (2005) • Here Comes The Big Red Car (2006) • It's Time to Wake Up Jeff! (2006) • Racing to the Rainbow (2006) • Surfer Jeff (2012) • Celebration! (2012) Karaoke Albums Karaoke Songs 1 (2005) • Karaoke Christmas Songs (2005) • Karaoke Songs 2 (2006) • Karaoke Songs 3 (2006) US/Can-exclusive Splish Splash Big Red Boat (2006) Singles Eagle Rock! (2003) • Christmas Single (2004) • Beep! Beep! Buckle Up! (2012) Murray, Jeff, Anthony and Sam (2007-2011) Getting Strong! (2007) • Pop Go The Wiggles! (2007) • You Make Me Feel Like Dancing (2008) • Sing a Song of Wiggles (2008) • The Wiggles Go Bananas! (2009) • Hot Poppin' Popcorn (2009) • Let's Eat! (2010) • Ukulele Baby! (2011) • The Wiggles' Big Birthday! (2011) • It's Always Christmas With You! (2011) Anthony, Lachy, Simon and Emma (2013-present) Taking Off! (2013) • Furry Tales (2013) • Pumpkin Face (2013) • Go Santa Go! (2013) • Apples & Bananas (2014) • Wiggle House (2014) • Rock & Roll Preschool (2015) • The Wiggles Meet The Orchestra! (2015) • Wiggle Town! (2016) • CinderEmma! Fairytale (2016) • Dance Dance! (2016) • Nursery Rhymes (2017) • Duets (2017) • Wiggly, Wiggly Christmas! (2017) • Nursery Rhymes 2 (2018) • Wiggle Pop! (2018) • The Wiggles' Big Ballet Day! (2019) • Party Time! (2019) • Fun and Games (2020) • Choo Choo Trains, Propeller Planes & Toot Toot Chugga Chugga Big Red Car! (2020) • We're All Fruit Salad (2021) Spin-off Albums Emma! (2015) • Carnival of the Animals (2016) • Dial E For Emma! (2016) • Lachy! (2016) • The Emma! & Lachy! Show (2018) • Emma! 2 (2019) Digital-Exclusive Albums & EPs Wiggly Barbershop (2020) • Emma's Bowtiful Ballet Studio (2020) • Le James Café (2020) Live from Hot Potato Studios Soundtracks Let There Be Rock-a-Bye Your Bear (2020) • Wash Your Hands (2020) • How Are You Today Friend? (2020) • Tiny Play Time (2020) • It's a Galloping Day! (2020) • Come & See the Animals! (2020) Singles Power Through the Day (2013) • Rise For Alex (2014) • NSW Blues Song! (2017) • The Toilet Song (2019) • The Alphabet Ballet (2019) • My Ballet Goat (2019) • I Am A Fine Musician (2019) • The Ants Go Marching (2019) • What's the Time, Mr Wolf? (2019) • Drum Chronology (feat. Kye Smith) (2019) • Big4 Wiggly Song (2019) • Singing Like A Rock Singer (2019) • E-M-M-A Theme Song (2019) • Emma's Hello Song (2019) • Handwashing Song (2019) • Anthony Ant (2019) • Here Come The Wiggles (2020) • Baby Shark (2020) • When I'm Painting (2020) • Skinnamarink (2020) • Social Distancing (2020) • Brush Your Teeth (2020) • Little Wiggles Theme Song (2020) • Trains, Planes and the Big Red Car (2020) • Rocket Ship (2020) • Emma's Bowmobile, Beep Beep! (2020) • Do the Propeller! (feat. Sesame Street) (2020) • Digital Party! (2020) • Click Go the Shears (2020) • The Twins Song - Double Happy (2020) • We're All Fruit Salad (2021) Dorothy the Dinosaur (2007-2012) Dorothy the Dinosaur (2007) • Dorothy the Dinosaur's Memory Book (2008) • Dorothy the Dinosaur Meets Santa Claus (2009) • Dorothy the Dinosaur's Rockin' Christmas (2010) • Dorothy the Dinosaur's Travelling Show! (2011) • Dorothy the Dinosaur's Beach Party! (2012) More from The Wiggles The Kingdom Of Paramithi (2009) • ReWiggled: A Tribute To The Wiggles (2011) • Och Aye the G'Nu! (2017) Compilations Christmas Classics (2006) • Hot Potatoes! The Best of The Wiggles (2009) • Hits And Rarities (2012) • Christmas Crackers! (2012) • Hot Potatoes! The Best of The Wiggles (2013) • Hot Potatoes & Cold Spaghetti! (2015) • The Best of The Wiggles on Vinyl (2016) • The Best of The Wiggles (2016) Samplers The Wiggles (1999) • Celebrating The Wiggles' 10th Birthday! (2001) • Compliments of Brach's and The Wiggles (2003) • A Wiggly Music Sampler (2003) • Wiggle Bay (2003) • Toot Toot! 3 Bonus Songs (2004) • Magical Adventure! A Wiggly Movie: 3 Bonus Songs (2004) • Wake Up Jeff!: 3 Bonus Songs (2004) • Wiggle Into Apple-Healthy Snack Time (2005) • Snack Time is Wiggle Time With Mott's (2006) • 4 Song CD (2006) • Omo Colourlock Limited Edition CD Sampler (2006) • Getting Strong! & Dorothy the Dinosaur (2007) Books w/ CDs Sing-along CD (2006) • We're All Friends (2007) • Play Piano with... The Wiggles (2007) • A Wiggly Sing-Along Box Set (2012) • Super Singalong Slipcase (2015) • Singalong Slipcase (2018) Other Compilations featuring The Wiggles ABC Kids ABC For Kids: Greatest Hits (1991) • A Menagerie Of Songs All About Animals (1992) • More ABC For Kids Greatest Hits (1992) • Rock 'N' Roll Kids (1992) • ABC For Kids Live (1993) • Lots And Lots Of Great Music For Kids (1994) • ABC For Kids Dance Party (1995) • Hottest Hits (2003) • ABC For Kids Hits (2004) • Best of ABC for Kids (2006) • ABC For Kids Favorites (2009) • ABC For Kids Favourites 2 (2010) • The Best of ABC for Kids (2013) • ABC for Kids TV Themes (2014) • The Best of ABC for Kids Volume 2 (2014) • ABC For Kids Christmas (2014) • The Best of ABC Kids Volume 3 (2015) • ABC Kids Christmas - Volume 2 (2015) • The Best of ABC Kids Volume 4 (2016) • ABC Kids Christmas Volume 3 (2016) • Sing and Learn (2017) • The Best of ABC Kids Volume 5 (2017) • ABC Kids Christmas Volume 4 (2017) • ABC Kids Let's Play! Holiday Fun with Friends! (2017) • ABC KIDS Listen (2018) • ABC Kids Hits (2018) • Christmas With ABC Kids (2018) • ABC KIDS Favourites (2019) Playhouse Disney Playhouse Disney 2 (2003) • Playhouse Disney: Imagine and Learn With Music (2005) • Disney Music Block Party (2008) Christmas compilations The Spirit of Christmas 1998 (1998) • The Spirit of Christmas 2003 (2003) • So Fresh Songs For Christmas 2005 (2005) • The Spirit Of Christmas 06 (2006) • Carols in the Domain: 25th Anniversary (2007) • So Fresh Songs for Christmas 2008 (2008) • My Favourite Christmas Songs (2010) • Greatest Ever! Christmas: The Definitive Collection (2010) • So Fresh Songs for Christmas 2011 (2011) • The Spirit of Christmas 2011 (2011) • My Christmas Album (2012) • So Fresh Songs for Christmas 2012 (2012) • Making Spirits Bright Christmas Charity Collection (2013) • The Spirit of Christmas 2014 (2014) • Making Spirits Bright 2014 Christmas Charity Collection (2014) • Superstar Christmas (2014) • Pop for Tots Christmas (2016) • 101 Christmas Classics (2017) • The Spirit of Christmas 2017 (2017)