The Wiggles' "Wiggle and Learn Archive Content": A Treasure Trove of Nostalgia
The Wiggles, the iconic Australian children's music group, have been delighting audiences for decades. In recent years, they have begun to open their archives, releasing unreleased and rare content on their official YouTube channel. This initiative, spearheaded by the enigmatic "Sir Lesley Longley," has been a boon for longtime fans and a way to introduce new generations to the Wiggles' rich history.
The Genesis of the Archive
The Wiggles' delve into their past began with a video uploaded on November 9, 2020, to their official YouTube channel. This video promised material from all main generations of The Wiggles. Prior to that, on November 6, Anthony Field posted an Instagram video in character as Sir Lesley Longley, formally announcing that unreleased Wiggles videos would be coming to The Wiggles' YouTube channel, encouraging people to subscribe.
Initial Releases: Concerts and Bloopers
The first unreleased special to be uploaded to the channel was a Sailing Around the World Live! concert filmed in San Diego, CA, USA, on December 4, 2020. This was followed on January 29, 2021, by another USA concert, Racing to the Rainbow Live!, from Everett/Seattle, WA.
After a 9-month hiatus, on October 20, 2021, bloopers from Ready, Steady, Wiggle! (Series 2) became the third special to be uploaded. Notably, this was the first video presented by Sir Lesley Longley to have been released before in some capacity, as a bonus feature on the Anthony's Fruity Feast! DVD.
On August 19, 2022, a compilation of Songs from the Wiggles 1997 Big Show taken from the Let's Wiggle series was the fifth to be uploaded on the channel.
Read also: Learn Forex Trading
Sir Lesley Longley: The Curator of Nostalgia
The character of Sir Lesley Longley has become synonymous with The Wiggles' archival project. Presented as a somewhat eccentric and dedicated archivist, Sir Lesley adds a layer of humor and anticipation to the releases. He is often seen "searching" for lost content and teasing upcoming uploads, engaging with fans and fueling their excitement.
Content Officially Acknowledged but Not Yet Released
The Wiggles' social media presence, particularly Anthony Field's interactions with fans, has provided hints about potential future releases. Several programs and concerts have been mentioned or teased, raising hopes for their eventual inclusion in the archive.
- Wake Up Jeff!: Anthony has confirmed in a series of tweets that the raw footage of Wiggle and Learn that was shot with Greg Page has been found. This footage is not edited, and Anthony claimed it will be a "big job" to start from scratch.
- Toot Toot Show!: Anthony as well as the official Wiggles account liked a post requesting the show.
- Santa's Rockin'! The Wiggles LIVE in Concert Tsunami Relief Benefit Concert!: Anthony stated that "Sir Lesley Longley" will search for the concert featuring Shaquille O'Neal.
- LIVE Hot Potatoes!
- Wiggledancing!
- Pop Go The Wiggles Show!: Anthony shared a clip of them performing Wake Up Jeff!
- You Make Me Feel Like Dancing Tour!
- The Wiggles Go Bananas!
- Christmas Celebration Tour!
Rare Released Content: Awaiting Rediscovery
In addition to unreleased material, certain content that has been released but is now considered rare may also find its way to the YouTube channel. Examples include:
- Wake Up Jeff!
- Go Santa Go from Wiggly, Wiggly Christmas!
- The Trailers for Ukulele Baby!
- Wiggle Time!
- A DVD of Baby Antonio's Circus that appears to be a studio master with 4 to 5 episodes was spotted on a computer desk in the same Instagram story which teased Dorothy the Dinosaur Goes to Hospital.
The Quest for Higher Quality Masters
Anthony Field has also expressed interest in upgrading the quality of existing Wiggles content available online. On July 22, 2021, Anthony replied to an Instagram post requesting Sir Lesley Longley to find the 16:9 versions of Wiggle Bay, Whoo Hoo! Wiggly Gremlins! and Top of the Tots, stating "I'll have the good Sir Leslie look into this when I find him!!!" This suggests a desire to replace The Wiggles' currently used masters for all purposes moving forward (the masters that The Wiggles currently use for Wiggle Bay and Whoo Hoo! Wiggly Gremlins!).
The Wiggles Show!: Unpacking Series 6
The Wiggles Show! from Series 6 presents an interesting case. The 11-minute versions are either split versions of the 22-minute ones, or the 22-minute versions are combined versions of the 11-minute ones, depending on which was made first. But unlike Series 4 & 5, the episode order between the 2 versions is shuffled. For example, We Feel Like Dancing (Ep. 1) and Over in the Meadow (Ep. 4) of the 11-minute versions make up "Move and Groove".
Read also: Understanding the Heart
Also unlike the previous series, there are some major differences between the full 22-minute versions and the split 11-minute ones, such as songs or segments being added or taken away between these two versions to fit the proper running time (splitting 22-minutes into 11 means adding the intro and credits a second time). One example of a change is the song Pussycat, Pussycat, which appears in Murray Had a Turtle (Ep. 8 of the 11-min. versions), replacing Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star in the 22-minute version "The King of Swing" (a combination of it and Who Am I?, Ep. 7).
18 of the 52 11-minute episodes were released on The Pick of TV Series 6 DVD, with two additional episodes also released on bonus DVDs included in 20th Birthday re-releases of Wiggles videos. The names of the remaining 32 episodes, as well as the order of episodes, are sourced from archived Sprout schedules.
The following episodes not found on the The Pick of TV Series 6 DVD include:
- Episode 6 - Keep Moving!
- Episode 7 - Who Am I?
- Episode 23 - Fairy Dancing!
- Episode 27 - Hello!
- Episode 29 - Big, Bigger, Biggest!
- Episode 33 - The Sporting Salsa!
- Episode 49 - Allo, Allo, Allo!
Read also: Guide to Female Sexual Wellness
tags: #wiggle #and #learn #archive #content
