There's something a little special that comes from teaching children about life through the medium of song and dance.
The Wiggles have been either singing to you or your children for almost 30 years.
It was great to talk to Lachlan Gillespie (The Purple Wiggle) on 92.9fm Tamworth as part of The Wiggles’ tour, bringing them to Tamworth for shows at the Town Hall on April 2.
For those who don’t know, he took the place of the very sleepy Jeff.
It’s incredible to talk to people who influence for good, and Lachy as a part of The Wiggles is one of them.
Lachy says it’s so special to see each different audience, and for some of them it’s their very first theatre experience.
“You see those initial reactions when you run out and for some of them you just see them with their mouths open like ‘what is this, why are they not on TV’.
Others, some of them are just singing along and their parents are just even shocked by their knowledge of the lyrics or something. It really is beautiful.”
As he describes, for many young children, these experiences are special. It’s no wonder that they have made such an impact on this community, but more importantly on the Wallace family.
Shiralee and Barry Wallace’s daughter Chloe passed away last year after a fight against a very rare and aggressive form of cancer. Chloe was set to celebrate her 3rd birthday this year, and in honour of her memory.
The Wiggles performed Twinkle Twinkle Little Star for her siblings and cousins at the Wiggles’ concert at the Town Hall.
Lachy also shared some really insightful thoughts about song-writing and the many different styles children are actually exposed to through the Wiggles.
“We’ve just done a big ballet album with the Australian Ballet, that’s our newest one.
It’s like Shirley Shawn the Unicorn, the new song—that is like an ancient melody that is so beautiful and as soon as you put words to it and make it child friendly, it becomes this whole new song again.
It’s actually really exciting because we’ve really got a database of world songs.”
But Lachy credits that to the incredible hard work of Anthony Field (The Blue Wiggle) from his 30 years with the group.
“He’s more than a mentor, he’s the most incredible guy and just to see his passion for it, you know instantly just by spending a bit of time with him, that’s why the Wiggles has been the success that it has been.”
“He (Anthony) has just got this huge knowledge of Scottish and Irish melodies that no one would ever hear again if we didn’t put some words to them.”
It’s almost been 30 years with the Wiggles and Lachy says the group have got a little special present for him planned.
“It’s quite extraordinary. It’s more than extraordinary, it’s unbelievable the energy he still has, so we’re gonna get for him a gold Wiggles belt buckle.”
Thinking about it now, our children (not mine, I have none haha) are learning so much through the medium of music.
It’s probably one of the many reasons why I love music so much.
I’m thinking back to my prime Wiggles listening days. I watched very religiously as a child The Wiggles Big Red Car (2005). I revisited it today and I remember every single thought I had.
The colours the young Irish dancers wore on their traditional dresses, the picnic scene, the magic scene. Just pretty well the stories within the songs.
Those are the images and the sounds that stay with you forever.
Can you imagine what those kids will be listening to in 20 years time?
Hopefully 2TM in Tamworth!
Jess
Check out the full interview below: