| ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. | |
| OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Parents need to know that there's nothing objectionable in this happy trail of tunes by The Wiggles, but there's not much imaginative content lyrically or musically either.
COLD SPAGHETTI WESTERN is a hybrid pop stew flavored with a little south-of-the-border, olive oil, and fruit salad. The Wiggles' musical recipes are simple, bouncy, and sprinkled with friendly between-song conversation. Topics are certainly varied: The songs tuck in good habits such as eating fresh fruit and regular tooth brushing. They dish up other cultures -- Spanish, Italian, a taste of Greek. In "We're the Cowboys," the Wiggles explain they like to boot scoot all day and "love doing things the cowboy way." Then there are lyrics about polishing their boots, listening to music, and animals, food, and partying.
The CD seems not to be about piquing a child's curiosity about cowboys, music, or cuisine, as much as it is about extending The Wiggles brand. For example, in "Farewell to the Wiggly Trail," they sing "We rode the trail together/Had some beans and had some fun/We had some fun but now it's time to go/We'll see you at the next Wiggles show." The caliber of production is high and the group's sincerity in entertaining their audience shines through. What's missing is a more inspired artfulness that speaks to even the youngest child's intelligence and musicality.
Families can talk about the many different styles and themes in these songs. Is the wide variation interesting? Were there any topics that The Wiggles seemed passionate about?
| Artist: | The Wiggles |
| Release date: | March 31, 2004 |
| Label: | Koch Records |
| Genre: | Children's Music |
| Parental advisory: | No |