I’m not ashamed to say it. The Wiggles are one of the best bands ever, period. They are kings of the almighty hook, and so many of their catchy tunes manage to get lodged in the skull after only one listen. Since so many of ’em are under or around the two-minute mark, this is all part of the grand Wiggle plan. But the best thing about the dudes is that their brand of childrens’ music isn’t cornball or dumbed down. It’s just good fun.
For instance, you just have to fucking dig the lead fuzz guitar line in “Feelin’ Chirpy.” It’s like straight out of some garage band’s wet dream. And that’s another part of The Wiggles’ appeal. They touch on so many brands of music – Beatles-influenced pop, classic R&B, country and western, bubblegum, classical, and even techno, and pull them all off effortlessly. And I’m obsessed. Granted, before my son was born, I couldn’t stand The Wiggles. My nieces dug them, but I never really tuned in to see what all the fuss was about. But when my kid started enjoying watching morning TV, we one day switched from PBS to Playhouse Disney and – whammo – Thw Wiggles had transfixed him. It was only a matter of time before I found myself humming “Bow Wow Wow” and “Can You Point Your Fingers And Do The Twist?” when the show wasn’t on. And so purchases of DVDs and CDs began in earnest.
They’ve even found a playlist all of their own on my iPod so the kid and I can enjoy Captain Feathersword cranking out “Eagle Rock” from Live! Hot Potatoes or Greg Page easing into the obscenely catchy “Do The Monkey” any time we like. Then there’s the chunky “Play Your Guitar With Murray,” the bonkers “Captain’s Magic Buttons,” and the genuinely pretty “Georgia’s Song.” And the list goes on. It’s very easy for me to say with the straightest of faces that for myself as a music lover no other band since I “discovered” The Beatles has been so fun and enjoyable to get into as The Wiggles. They’re starting to surpass my love for The Velvet Underground, my most favorite band of all time.
Again, it just comes down to an honest musical formula that anyone with a liking for well crafted pop can enjoy. This isn’t tot pop played on cheeseball synths sung by groups of kiddies a-la Kidz Bop. This is groovy music written and played by the group themselves and just simply fun, which is exactly what’s missing out of most popular music out there today. Just ask my kid. I’ve now seen The Wiggles’ full-length movie, Magical Adventure more times than most of my own favorite DVDs and the damn thing hasn’t gotten old yet.
Indeed, The Wiggles’ world is something tighter and much more groovy and kooky than anything in Syd and Marty Krofft’s dreams. There’s probably a bit of their own form of kiddie psychedelia indebted to Magical Mystery Tour, but watching Wags the dog, Henry the octopus, or Dorothy the dinosaur crank out one of their own numbers is far more entertaining than seeing Lennon flail about in “I Am The Walrus.” It sometimes makes me seriously contemplate just moving it all to Australia and leaving the world of Dubya Land behind.
So if you need a starter’s course, go directly to the Here Comes The Big Red Car, Top of the Tots, Yummy Yummy and Live! Hot Potatoes CDs. Those interested in hearing The Wiggles team up with various fellow Aussies can check out the fun Wiggly Wiggly World that includes the remake of Split Enz’ “Six Months In A Leaky Boat” with Tim Finn. And there’s tons more. What can I say? I’ma freakin’ fan.
