The Australian Children's Music Group isn't Just for Children

Before 2024, I had no idea who The Wiggles were, even though they perform for over a million children and their parents every year. Parenthood changes a lot about many parents’ lives, especially when it comes to the music that gets played.

I have long enjoyed listening to songs with deeply meaningful lyrics, often with lots of guitar and bass. In 2024, though, my Spotify and YouTube feed changed drastically - suddenly I found myself searching for music to soothe and entertain infants.

Sometimes the music was annoyingly repetitive, strange, and even disturbing. For example, why are there three men in a tub? Isn’t Ring Around the Rosie a bit depressing for children? And is anyone else worried about the old man who bumped his head and couldn’t get up in the morning?

As our infant grew into a toddler, the music we played changed with her. It was somewhere during that time I first heard music from The Wiggles. Thankfully, the group's music was often catchy, and I would randomly find myself singing along to hits like “Fruit Salad” and “Open, Shut Them” with my child, who seemed to enjoy trying to sing along as well.

Many in the crowd had bubble makers that filled the Macon City Auditorium with fanciful bubbles (Photographer Nate Weeks)

If you aren’t aware, The Wiggles is a children’s music group with an international fan base. They began to perform for small groups in 1991, but they were soon in demand and were able to take their show on the road. 

The evolving band recently added four new members in 2021, including the daughter of Blue Wiggle Anthony Field, in order to increase the diversity of the group, according to an article from Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The band also recently released a country album featuring music icon Dolly Parton, as well as an electronic dance music (EDM) album with Lenny Pearce, an entertainer and DJ who releases catchy dance music for children, illustrating that the group has continued to innovate 30 years in.

When I got the chance to attend and write about The Wiggles: Tree of Wisdom Spectacular! concert in Macon City Auditorium, I was actually excited. While going to concerts used to be a regular activity, the last few years involved very little live music outside of listening to talented local musicians perform at shows around Middle Georgia.

I truly did not expect to enjoy myself as much as I did. Watching my toddler’s eyes widen in surprise at hearing the music we played for her so much at home and in the car was delightful. Singing along with her to the lyrics of all of the songs was priceless.

The Wiggles are excellent performers, and there were plenty of comments and moments meant to entertain the parents in the crowd that sailed over the heads of all the young children in attendance.

After the show was over, I realized that my toddler would likely not remember anything about this concert. But I knew that I would always remember singing and clapping together that night. Time truly does fly. I realize that one day she will likely have musical tastes that I might not like or agree with. But I hope that we will attend many more concerts together before then, especially if they are as enjoyable as The Wiggles.

Middle Georgians at The Wiggles' performance in Macon sang along to the group's catchy songs (Photographer Nate Weeks)