marytara's Full Review: Wiggles, The: Wiggly, Wiggly World
Plot Details: This opinion reveals everything about the movie's plot.
I never thought I'd say this, but this just may be a Wiggles video that I like better than Wiggle Time and its Wiggly Wiggly World. From my toddler son's reactions to this tape, he would agree with me too.
Here's The Wiggly Wiggly Background
If you are not familiar with The Wiggles, they are a group of four Australian grown men who sing and dance around and perform children's tunes. Each member of The Wiggles (Greg, Murray, Anthony, and Jeff) wears their own color (Yellow, Red, Blue, and Purple) and has a distinct performance personality. The Wiggles are joined by a few of their friends which include: a pirate (Captain Feathersword), a dog (Wags the Dog), a green dinosaur (Dorothy the Dinosaur), a purple octopus (Henry the Octopus) and a few other friends - which add to the fun. Their biggest appeal is the 6 and under crowd with a strong toddler contingent making up quite a large fanbase in Australia, US, and Canada.
What Makes Wiggly Wiggly World "different" The Wiggles have come a long way since Wiggle Time (1999) and Wiggly Wiggly World (2001) is definitely a success story on many counts.
Running Time
Where Yummy Yummy and Wake up Jeff! fall on the short side (around 1/2 hour) and Wiggly Play Time is a bit lengthy at over 60 minutes), the running time of Wiggly Wiggly World is just perfect at 16 songs and 46 minutes.
Balance
My son and I love The Wiggles mostly for the music, but also for "the fun". I feel like I've been getting to know The Wiggles through their skits and "play" in between each song. Some of their programs include more of this inbetween stuff and others are mostly music. I learned through Wiggly Play Time that too much skits loses little ones attention by overdoing it unlike Toot Toot where short and fun skits add a simple background story. These skits are not only good for entertainment value, but also for character building. Wiggly Wiggly World doesn't have much of a background story, but instead a theme that runs through the entire program about Wiggly visitors from all over the world. There is just enough conversation and introductory skits between the songs.
From All Walks of Life
I love that Wiggly Wiggly World features guests from multiple genres of music but also race, nationality, etc.
Guests on Wiggly Wiggly World include Slim Dusty of Waltzing Matilda (country music) , Christine Anu, Tim Finn from Crowded House, Kamahl (aboriginal), Jimmy Little, Atsuko Arai (Japanese), and performing artist Rolff Harris (traditional music).
Also I'd like to give a pat on the back to The Wiggles for inclusion of a child in a wheelchair in both the skits and the dance numbers. Also compared to some other Wiggles videos the children represented in Wiggly Wiggly World are from multiple races and not just caucasion as was the case in some earlier releases.
Out of This World Wiggly Wiggly Song List
1. In the Wiggles' World
2. Here Comes the Wiggles
3. In the Big Red Car We Like to Ride
4. I Love to Have a Dance with Dorothy (featuring Slim Dusty)
5. Taba Naba (featuring Christine Anu)
6. Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport with Rolff Harris
7. Sing with Me (featuring Kamahl)
8. Hey, Hey, Hey, We're All Pirate Dancing
9. Another Cuppa
10. Starry Night
11. Six Months in a Leaky Boat (featuring Tim Finn)
12. One Little Coyote
13. Blow Me Down
14. Let's Go
15. Morningtown Ride (featuring Jimmy Little)
16. Haru Ga Kita (featuring Atsuko Arai)
Our Favorite Songs
I Love to Have a Dance with Dorothy Slim Dusty (famous Aussie Country Singer) joins the Wiggles for a hoe down set in a barn loft. They dance with more than just Dorothy though, all the Wiggles friends (Mates) join in to dance with Slim Dusty.
Taba Naba A beautiful song meaning "Let's all go down to the reef and have a great time" . Children gather seated around Christine Anu and The Wiggles to sing this island song complete with hand and arm motions.
Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport featuring the original artist of this Traditional song, Rolff Harris and his Wobble Board. The Wobble Board is a great big piece of cardboard that he flexes to make a funny sound. The Wiggles are jumping around like Kangaroos for most of the song. Its very silly and at one point Greg has a feather headress on with dark sunglasses. Guaranteed to get kids hopping!
Another Cuppa "What comes after the Letter S?". Join The Wiggles for a garden Tea party!
Six Months in a Leaky Boat This song features Tim Finn from Crowded House and is an adaptation of one of their songs with the words changed and made appropriate for Captain Feathersword.
One Little Coyote The best part of this song is all the crazy animal costumes that both The Wiggles and the children are wearing. My son loves animals so of course this is a big hit with him. Greg rides a broomstick pony around a "Western plane" and they see owls, elks, geese, beavers, prairie dogs, cows, and of course the "one little coyote howling at the moon". The song covers counting elements as well.
Let's Go Here Jeff, Greg, Murray, and Anthony pile into their Big Red Car which ressembles a VW Beetle. They drive around various scenescapes. For this song the background is computer generated but super cute. Join The Wiggles as they drive through the countryside, towns, cities and run into Officer Beaples, Wags the Dog, Captain Feathersword, Dorothy the Dinosaur and Henry The Octopus. This is a very cheery and fun tune. Of course Jeff falls alseep and snores (Par for the course)
Morningtown Ride This song features Jimmy Little with The Wiggles. In this segment, they go on a trainride headed to Morningtown. Its a peaceful, slow tune and almost sounds like a lullaby.
Haru Ga Kita Atsuko Arai from Nara City,Japan joins The Wiggles in her beautiful Kimono. They first sing the tune in Japanese and then again in English. Haru Ga Kita means "Spring has come" and its a traditional Japanese song.
Overall
Wiggly Wiggly World has become a top pick for Wiggles Watching.
Wiggle Time still remains a favorite for it "get up and wiggle" approach and the effect it has made on my son. It was the first tape we really saw him want to imitate the finger plays, hand motions and dance routines. Wiggly Wiggly World effects him differently and not to the same magnitude. I believe it is because the dance numbers are bit more sophisticated and more "showy".
Still, Wiggly Wiggly World comes in as a tie for first as far as viewing and overall enjoyment. My son enjoys the music very much and is extremely captivated and entertained by this program. It is wonderful to see a child enjoying expressions of music and joining in that celebration by dancing.
A big reason I enjoy Wiggly Wiggly World is the wonderful message of peace, multi-culturism and acceptance that is promoted. I enjoy the wide variety of music and have a few of my own favorites that I'll humm throughout the day.
This is definitely one to add to your collection and I give it a full 5 out of 5 stars.
Wiggly Wiggly World is outta this world!
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My Wiggles Reviews
Imagine a world where everyone is smiling and laughing. It's a wonderful, wacky and whimsical world. It's a Wiggly, Wiggly World! Join Greg, Murray, A...More at HotMovieSale.com
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