"Rock-A-Bye Your Bear" is The Wiggles' breakthrough hit and the very first song written by the band. It is believed to be the most performed Wiggles song, being performed at every documented Wiggles concert along with "Hot Potato".
Listen[]
Lyrics[]
Original version[]
Everybody clap
Everybody sing (la la la la la)
Bow to your partner
Then you turn around
Hands in the air, rock-a-bye your bear
Bear's now asleep
Shh, shh, shh
Bear's now asleep
Shh, shh, shh
Everybody clap
Everybody sing (la la la la la)
Bow to your partner
Then you turn around
Hands in the air, rock-a-bye your bear
Bear's now asleep
Shh, shh, shh
Bear's now asleep
Shh, shh, shh
Turn that trumpet down! The bears are trying to sleep!
The Wiggles Movie Soundtrack[]
Everybody clap
Everybody sing (la la la la la)
Bow to your partner
Then you turn around (Yippee!)
Hands in the air, rock-a-bye your bear
Bear's now asleep
Shh, shh, shh
Bear's now asleep
Shh, shh, shh
Everybody clap
Everybody sing (la la la la la)
Bow to your partner
Then you turn around (Yippee!)
Hands in the air, rock-a-bye your bear
Bear's now asleep
Shh, shh, shh
Bear's now asleep
Shh, shh, shh
(music fades out; cheers and applause)
Taking Off![]
Everybody clap
Everybody sing (la, la, la, la, la)
Bow to your partner
"G'day!"
"G'day!"
And then you turn around (Yippee!)
Hands in the air
Rock-a-bye your bear
Bear's now asleep (shh-shh-shh)
Bear's now asleep (shh-shh-shh)
Everybody clap
Everybody sing (la, la, la, la, la)
Bow to your partner
"Ah, g'day!"
"G'day!"
And then you turn around (Yippee!)
Hands in the air
Rock-a-bye your bear
Bear's now asleep (shh-shh-shh)
Bear's now asleep (shh-shh-shh)
Bear's now asleep (shh-shh-shh)
Bear's now asleep (shh-shh-shh)
Bear's now asleep (shh-shh-shh)
Español (Mece a Tu Osito)[]
Vamos aplaudir, Vamos a cantar
(La-la-la-la-laaaa!)
Salude tu pareja
Y una vuelta dar
Alzar las manos, Mece tu osito
El oso se durmió (Shh-shh-shh)
El oso se durmió (Shh-shh-shh)
Vamos aplaudir, Vamos a cantar
(La-la-la-la-laaaa!)
Salude tu pareja
Y una vuelta dar
Alzar las manos, Mece tu osito
El oso se durmió (Shh-shh-shh)
El oso se durmió (Shh-shh-shh)
The Taiwanese Wiggles (小熊晚安)[]
大家拍拍手
大家一起唱 (啦啦啦啦啦)
夥伴們敬禮
轉呀轉一圈
高高舉起手
跟小熊說 good night
小熊睡着了 (噓噓噓)
小熊睡着了 (噓噓噓)
大家拍拍手
大家一起唱 (啦啦啦啦啦)
夥伴們敬禮
轉呀轉一圈
高高舉起手
跟小熊說 good night
小熊睡着了 (噓噓噓)
小熊睡着了 (噓噓噓)
小熊睡着了 (噓噓噓)
小熊睡着了 (噓噓噓)
Song Credits[]
Written by Murray Cook, Jeff Fatt, Anthony Field and Greg Page, published by Wiggly Tunes Pty Ltd.
ReWiggled: A Tribute To The Wiggles[]
© 2011 Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd.
Recorded at Sing Sing Studios, Melbourne.
Spiderbait appear courtesy of Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd.
Nursery Rhymes[]
Vocals: Anthony Field, Lachlan Gillespie, Simon Pryce, Emma Watkins
Acoustic Guitar: Anthony Field
Bass Guitar: Jeff McCormack
Six-String Banjo: Anthony Field
Piano: Lachlan Gillespie
Trivia[]
- Anthony came up with the opening hook, while Phillip Wilcher transcribed and played it.
- Traditionally, the purple wiggle falls asleep after the song, especially when performed live.
- Clare Field was featured in the 1993 version of this song as a 4-year-old.
- Near the end of the original 1991 album version, either Anthony or Jeff is heard saying "Turn that trumpet down! Bear's trying to sleep!".
- The instrumental track has three main versions. 1991-1996, a trumpet starts the song, from 1997 onward, an accordion starts the song, and in the Taking Off recording, it starts with a piano instead. More recent versions have either a banjo or an organ starting the song.
- This song is usually one of the first few songs performed in their concerts.
- It was the first animal song to be performed.
- Anthony or Murray have played the guitar in this song.
- The trumpet heard in the 1991 version was played on Jeff's Fairlight CMI.
- The "yippee!" after "Then you turn around" wasn't yet added until late 1993 concerts.
- On The Wiggles' YouTube channel, the original 1993 version of this song (taken from the Hot Potatoes! The Best of The Wiggles (2010) DVD) was uploaded on February 14th 2016 during Valentine's Day and the Nursery Rhymes version was uploaded on May 4th 2017. Then on January 24th 2019, the Wiggle Around Australia version was uploaded. On July 4th, 2022, the Wiggly Nursery Rhymes version was uploaded. On January 9th 2023 during International Choreographers Day, the 2023 variation was uploaded.
- In The Wiggles Movie, the music presented features an acoustic guitar but instead Murray is playing his Red Starry Guitar.
- The 2013 version (which was uploaded to YouTube on July 20, 2017) was filmed in a live studio with a teddy bear mascot who is sleeping at the end until the Wiggles wake him up. This can be seen in the 1st season of Ready, Steady, Wiggle!.
- Since 1999, Wiggly Tunes had the publishing rights in the US and the following year, they got the publishing rights for Australia & New Zealand.
Goofs[]
- On both versions of the Hot Potatoes! The Best of The Wiggles DVD in the bonus features, it says it has the original 1991 music video for this song, but it actually has the 1993 music video for this song.
- Rock-A-Bye Your Bear's song title has "Rock-A-Bye" spelled as one word in the 1993 version.
- During the 2023 summer holiday tour both Jeff and John both fell asleep and had narcoleptic episodes after the song was performed making It the first time In Wiggles history that 2 purple wiggles fall asleep at the same time. In addition, rather than having them both wake up at the same time, they woke both of them up separately with John going first and then Jeff after.
Performances/Appearances[]
- ABC For Kids: Live In Concert
- Wiggle Time! (1993)
- Wiggledance!
- The Wiggles Movie
- Wiggle Time! (1998)
- The Wiggly Big Show
- Dorothy the Dinosaur Goes to Hospital
- LIVE Hot Potatoes!
- Lights, Camera, Action, Wiggles! (DVD Version)
- 15 Years of Wiggly Fun!
- Wiggledancing! Live In The U.S.A.
- Wiggledancing! Live In Concert
- Dorothy the Dinosaur's Memory Book
- The Wiggles Big, Big Show!
- Hot Potatoes! The Best of The Wiggles (2010)
- The Wiggles' Big Birthday! (Live)
- Celebration!
- Dorothy the Dinosaur's Beach Party!
- Taking Off!
- Hot Potatoes! The Best of The Wiggles (2014)
- Emma!
- The Wiggles Meet The Orchestra!
- Nursery Rhymes
- Wiggle Around Australia
- The Best of The Wiggles
- The Wiggles Reunion Show
- We're All Fruit Salad!: The Wiggles' Greatest Hits
- Wiggly Nursery Rhymes
- Fruit Salad Big Show
The Wiggles (Season 1)[]
- Jeff the Mechanic
The Wiggles (Season 2)[]
- Your Body (Live)
- Hygiene (Live)
Lights, Camera, Action, Wiggles![]
11-minute versions[]
- Episode 6 (Paired with Caveland)
- Episode 15 (paired with We're Dancing With Wags The Dog and Watching The Waves)
- Episode 21 (Paired with Quack Quack)
22-minute versions[]
- Swim Like a Fish
- Dorothy Visits the Art Gallery
- Vegetable Soup
- Hula Hoops
The Wiggles Show! (season 1)[]
11-minute versions[]
- Episode 2 (3-second acapella during the Wigglehouse segment)
- Episode 4
- Episode 18 (Live)
- Episode 30 (Live)
- Episode 34
- Episode 43
- Episode 48 (Live)
22-minute versions[]
- Dorothy's Ballet (3-second acapella during the Wigglehouse segment)
- Making Pies
- A Wiggly Mystery (Live)
- S.S Feathersword (Live)
- The Train Dance
- Help Find Jeff
- Picking Flowers (Live)
The Wiggles Show! (season 2)[]
11-minute versions[]
- Episode 1
- Episode 8 (Live)
- Episode 13 (Live)
- Episode 39 (Live)
22-minute versions[]
- Fruity Fun
- Shh! Shh! Shh! (Live)
- The Gorilla Dance (Live)
- Sydney Harbour (Live)
The Wiggles Show! (Latin America)[]
- Episodio 3
- Episodio 10 (Live)
- Episodio 14
- Episodio 20
- Episodio 25 (Live)
Ready, Steady, Wiggle! (Season 1)[]
- Taba Naba
- Simon Goes Quackers! (Live)
- Toot Toot! (Live at Wigglehouse)
- Emma's Missing Bow
- Is That Captain Feathersword? (Live)
- Slow Motion Anthony
- Joannie Works with One Hammer (Live)
- Professor Simon's Musical Challenge (Arabic)
Ready, Steady, Wiggle! (Season 2)[]
- Apples and Bananas (Live at Wigglehouse)
- Simon's Brush with Fame (Live)
Emma! (Season 1)[]
- Rock-a-Bye Your Bear Ballet
Wiggle Town![]
- Opera Singing
- Rock-a-Bye Your Bear (Live)
Wiggle, Wiggle, Wiggle![]
- Dancing Is So Much Fun (Singing Barbers)
- Numerals Are Nice (Yarrabah Live)
- Soccer Fun (Yarrabah)
- Do The Twist! (Australia Day Live)
Wiggle Time![]
- Quiet Time with The Wiggles
The Wiggles' World[]
- The Curly Bird (Live)
Live from Hot Potato Studios[]
- Let There Be Rock-a-Bye Your Bear
Ready, Steady, Wiggle! (Season 3)[]
- The Instruments We Love to Play (Brief Instrumental Stings)
Fruit Salad TV[]
- Team Work
Ready, Steady, Wiggle! (Season 4)[]
- Rock-A-Bye Your Bear
Ready, Steady, Wiggle! (Season 5)[]
- Captain Feathersword Has the Hiccups