He has written songs for Sesame Street and The Weekly Reader, has starred in an Emmy Award-winning television show for children and has been featured regularly on The Learning Channel.
Polisar works with literacy groups, media specialists, reading teachers and Title I programs in the schools and has won a Special Library Recognition Award for his "ability to communicate with and excite children to read."
Polisar's song "All I Want Is You" is featured, re-recorded and with a guitar/harmonica combo, on the soundtrack for the 2007 Motion Picture "JUNO".
Giggle Tickle Fiddle Little Wiggle Around
Barry Louis Polisar Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Go giggle tickle fiddle little wiggle around
Giggle tickle fiddle little wiggle around
Left right backwards and upside down
Giggle tickle fiddle little wiggle around
Go walkin' and a talkin' and a squalkin' to the sound
Colors of the rainbow, yellow and red
Windshield wipers slapping in the rain
Go flapping and a clappin' and a chuggin like a train
Giggle tickle fiddle little wiggle around
Left right backwards and upside down
Giggle tickle fiddle little wiggle around
Go walkin' and a talkin' and a squalkin' to the sound
sunshine bright stars above
Gleaming in the moonlight with the one you love
Hands on your head, go hopping around
With a kiss and a hug and a wonderful sound
Giggle tickle fiddle little wiggle around
Left right backwards and upside down
Giggle tickle fiddle little wiggle around
Go walkin' and a talkin' and a squalkin' to the sound
The lyrics of Barry Louis Polisar's song "Giggle Tickle Fiddle Little Wiggle Around" are a playful encouragement to find joy in life, even when feeling down. The repetition of the phrase "giggle tickle fiddle little wiggle around" is a call to action, inviting the listener to engage in childlike activities such as walking, talking, squawking, and spinning around. The playful spirit of the song is emphasized through the words "left right backwards and upside down," suggesting a disregard for norms and expectations, and a willingness to embrace spontaneity and whim.
The following verses amplify this spirit of playfulness with thrilling imagery such as standing on your head, seeing colors of the rainbow, and swaying like a train. The stanza "sunshine bright stars above/Gleaming in the moonlight with the one you love/Hands on your head, go hopping around/With a kiss and a hug and a wonderful sound" evokes a sense of romantic play, encouraging couples to dance and embrace in the light of the moon, with the freedom to hop, jump, and spin in joy.
Overall, the song's message is simple yet powerful: move, play, and find joy in the small things in life, even (or especially) when feeling down.
Line by Line Meaning
If you're ever feeling down
When you feel sad or blue
Go giggle tickle fiddle little wiggle around
Laugh, be tickled, dance and move your body
Giggle tickle fiddle little wiggle around
Continue to laugh, be tickled, dance and move your body
Left right backwards and upside down
Move your body in different directions
Go walkin' and a talkin' and a squalkin' to the sound
Walk, talk, and make noise to the beat of the music
Back and forth go stand on your head
Move back and forth, and even stand on your head
Colors of the rainbow, yellow and red
See and appreciate the beauty of the colors yellow and red, as if in a rainbow
Windshield wipers slapping in the rain
Imagine the sound of windshield wipers in the rain, and replicate that sound with clapping or other noises
Go flapping and a clappin' and a chuggin like a train
Move and make noises as if you are a train
sunshine bright stars above
See the bright sun and stars in the sky
Gleaming in the moonlight with the one you love
Experience the beauty of the moonlight and being with someone you love
Hands on your head, go hopping around
Put your hands on your head and hop around
With a kiss and a hug and a wonderful sound
Give and receive love and happiness, and create a wonderful noise together
Contributed by Eva W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.