‘Kids say, that’s not Holst, that’s Bluey!’ – composer Joff Bush on Bluey’s classical music obsession

14 October 2024, 17:29

Composer Joff Bush on the music in 'Bluey' | Classic FM

Composer Joff Bush talks about the classical music he chose for Bluey – including ‘Jupiter’ from The Planets, which provided the musical bedrock to everyone’s favourite heart-rending episode, ‘Sleepytime’.

Bluey, the Australian TV show following the adventures of Blue Heeler puppy Bluey, younger sister Bingo, and mum and dad Chilli and Bandit, has gained a devoted following among parents and young children who connect with its blend of silliness and deep humanity.

It’s also packed with brilliant music, meaning that much like Tom and Jerry and Bugs Bunny did in the 1940s, Bluey is connecting a new generation to the classical world.

The person behind it all is Australian composer Joff Bush, who tells us that he loves his job. In a virtual interview recorded at 9.30am in London – almost bedtime in Brisbane for Bush’s newborn baby – he tells Classic FM’s Early Breakfast host Lucy Coward: “It’s amazing. I get to watch Bluey episodes all day. What’s better than that?”

Part of Bush’s job is deciding when and where to include a piece of classical music – which so far have ranged from Tchaikovsky’s Waltz of the Flowers to Bach’s Sheep May Safely Graze.

His reason for including these pieces, is a technique he calls “taking the domestic into the sublime”.

Read more: Lang Lang sees characters in music: ‘Bach is a Transformer, Mozart is Mickey Mouse!’

“In most cases, we’re trying to elevate the episode in that way – bring it from just a family watching TV or something, to this grand, beautiful thing,” Bush adds.

Bush references ‘Sleepytime’, which in 2020 was named one of the best TV episodes of the year by The New York Times. Throughout a beautifully moving, and impossibly entertaining dream sequence narrative about Bingo and her first ‘big girl sleep’, we hear snippets of ‘Jupiter’ from Gustav Holst’s The Planets, with the soaring, anthemic theme which many will know as ‘I Vow to Thee My Country’ used to magical effect.

Read more: The most memorable times classical music was featured in ‘Bluey’

“It’s such a rousing piece,” Bush says. “It’s gone beyond its original intended meaning. We seeded the theme throughout the episode – so we’ll have a little echo of it playing, whenever the parents are showing love to their children.

“The thing that really kicks it off is Bingo saying, ‘No, I’m a big girl now’ and that’s such an important developmental stage for kids.

“So when we hear the full version of it there, we’re subconsciously reminded of the parents’ love for the kids. And that’s a powerful idea that, yes, you’re starting to grow your independence, but your parents will always be there for you. That’s what we tried to do structurally with the music within that episode, seeding little themes throughout… so when it comes back at the end, hopefully it feels even more powerful.

“But I think it was already there. Like you watch that episode even without the music, and it’s incredible.”

For Bush, this is a way of introducing classical music to children in a format they can relate to.

“They’re such incredible pieces that have stood the test of time,” he tells Lucy Coward. “And it’s always great when kids are getting involved with that, but also seeing it from a perspective that they can relate to. They’re seeing it not from an adult perspective, but from a place that they can really enjoy these great pieces of music.

“I’ve also heard people who are music teachers, they’ll try to talk about a piece of classical music, and then the students will go, ‘No, that’s from Bluey!’.

“I think anything that encourages kids to listen and be part of music and hopefully maybe one day play it, is so important.”

Watch the full interview now on YouTube.