Wiggle

Album: Talk Dirty (2014)
Charted: 8 5
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This paean to a stripper with a big butt features Snoop Dogg. It is one of five collaborations on Talk Dirty. Hooking up with other well-known recording artists wasn't part of Derulo's original game plan, but the singer told OK magazine that he's more than pleased with the outcome. "Everything happened organically," he said. "Like with the song 'Wiggle' I was like, 'It would be so dope if Snoop was on the track.' Then I saw him at the All-Star game and I was like, 'I have this track I want you to hear.' He was like, 'Oh, man, this is crazy. I'll send it back to you within 48 hours.' It all happens differently."
  • Derulo performed the song for the first time live at the Valentine's Crush concert at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on February 14, 2014.
  • The Colin Tilley-directed twerk-fest video finds Derulo engaging in copious amounts of wiggling. The singer is seen performing the tune with the help of Snoop and special guest Ne-Yo, as he lets a horde of people in on the wiggle action. Derulo said: "When we were making the video I wanted to capture the fun and light nature of the song, as well as highlight the dancing and swag that the song represents."
  • Several writers put their pens to this song. Along with Derulo, it was written by Eric Frederic, Jacob Kasher, Sean Douglas, John Ryan, Joe Spargur, Axident, and Calvin Broadus (Snoop Dogg).
  • Producer Ricky Reed brought in fun elements like peanut wrappers, hand clappers, toy flutes and percussive instruments to support the novelty lyrics and amplify the comical nature of the song. The toy flute melody provides the key instrumental hook for the song and plays most effectively off the key lyrical hook ("wiggle, wiggle, wiggle") during the simple chorus.
  • This song is a blend of several different genres/influences: hip hop/rap, R&B, pop, trap and - the most unique - nursery rhyme. The verse sections are modeled after "Patty Cake" and the first references the classic nursery rhyme in the lyrics:

    Patty cake, Patty cake
    With no hands
    Got me in this club making wedding plans
    If I take pictures while you do your dance
    I can make you famous on Instagram
  • A gracious host, Derulo allows his guest Snoop Dogg to close out the song with one last butt joke: "Damn, baby, you got a bright future behind you." As the backing music is dropped out, the line stands out even more.
  • The title lyric should be unforgettable - it's repeated 57 times throughout the song!
  • "Wiggle" joins the ranks of many other butt odes, including Queen's "Fat Bottomed Girls, "Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Baby Got Back," Black Eyed Peas' "My Humps" and Trace Adkins' "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk," to name a few.

Comments: 1

  • Miranda1096cuite from United States I love him he is the best
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Harry Shearer

Harry ShearerSongwriter Interviews

Harry is Derek Smalls in Spinal Tap, Mark Shubb in The Folksmen, and Mr. Burns on The Simpsons.

Glen Burtnik

Glen BurtnikSongwriter Interviews

On Glen's résumé: hit songwriter, Facebook dominator, and member of Styx.

Creedence Clearwater Revival

Creedence Clearwater RevivalFact or Fiction

Is "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" about Vietnam? Was John Fogerty really born on a Bayou? It's the CCR edition of Fact or Fiction.

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' Albums

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' AlbumsSong Writing

With the rise of Kindie rock, more musicians are embracing their inner child with tunes for tots - here, we look at pop stars who recorded kids' albums.

Phil Hurtt ("I'll Be Around")

Phil Hurtt ("I'll Be Around")Songwriter Interviews

Phil was a songwriter, producer and voice behind many Philadelphia soul classics. When disco hit, he got an interesting project: The Village People.

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)Songwriter Interviews

Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai were two of Graham's co-writers for some '80s rock classics.