Bobby McFerrin Discography | Discogs

About the Song

Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” is more than just a song; it’s an infectious melody that has been uplifting spirits for decades. Released in 1988, this unique track captured the hearts of millions worldwide and remains a timeless classic. What sets “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” apart is its simplicity and its ability to evoke a sense of joy and optimism.

One of the most striking features of this song is its a cappella style. Bobby McFerrin, a virtuoso vocalist, creates a rich and full sound using only his voice. His vocal percussion and harmonies are nothing short of extraordinary, and they give the song a distinctive and memorable quality. The absence of any instruments forces the listener to focus solely on the power of the human voice, making the lyrics all the more impactful.

The lyrics themselves are incredibly simple yet profound. The repeated refrain, “Don’t worry, be happy”, is a universal message that resonates with people of all ages and backgrounds. It’s a gentle reminder to find joy in the simple things and to let go of stress and anxiety. The song’s upbeat tempo and positive lyrics create a sense of euphoria, making it difficult not to tap your foot or hum along.

“Don’t Worry, Be Happy” was a groundbreaking success, becoming the first a cappella song to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance, and it has been featured in countless films, television shows, and commercials. The song’s enduring popularity is a testament to its timeless appeal.

Beyond its commercial success, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” has had a significant cultural impact. It has become an anthem for positivity and optimism, inspiring people to look on the bright side of life. The song’s message of happiness and contentment is particularly relevant in today’s fast-paced and often stressful world.

Whether you’re a longtime fan of Bobby McFerrin or you’re just discovering his music for the first time, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” is a song that is sure to bring a smile to your face. Its catchy melody, uplifting lyrics, and innovative a cappella style make it a truly special piece of music. So, the next time you’re feeling down, put on this classic tune and let the music lift your spirits.

Bobby McFerrin sings Turkish songs on

Video

Lyrics: Don’t Worry Be Happy

Here’s a little song I wrote
You might want to sing it note for note
Don’t worry, be happy
In every life we have some trouble
When you worry you make it double
Don’t worry, be happy
Don’t worry, be happy now

Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh
(Don’t worry)
Ooh oo-ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh
(Be happy)
Ooh oo-ooh oo-ooh
(Don’t worry, be happy)
Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh
(Don’t worry)
Ooh oo-ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh
(Be happy)
Ooh oo-ooh oo-ooh
(Don’t worry, be happy)

Ain’t got no place to lay your head
Somebody came and took your bed
Don’t worry, be happy
The landlord say your rent is late
He may have to litigate
Don’t worry, be happy
(Look at me I’m happy)

Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh
(Don’t worry)
Ooh oo-ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh
(Be Happy)
Ooh oo-ooh oo-ooh
Here I give you my phone number
When you worry call me, I make you happy
Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh
(Don’t worry)
Ooh oo-ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh
(Be happy)
Ooh oo-ooh oo-ooh

Ain’t got no cash, ain’t got no style
Ain’t got no gal to make you smile
But don’t worry, be happy
‘Cause when you worry your face will frown
And that will bring everybody down
So don’t worry, be happy
Don’t worry, be happy now

Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh
(Don’t worry)
Ooh oo-ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh
(Be happy)
Ooh oo-ooh oo-ooh
Don’t worry, be happy
Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh
(Don’t worry)
Ooh oo-ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh
(Be happy)
Ooh oo-ooh oo-ooh
Don’t worry, be happy

Now there, is this song I wrote
I hope you learned it note for note
Like good little children
Don’t worry, be happy
Listen to what I say
In your life expect some trouble
When you worry you make it double
Don’t worry, be happy, be happy now

Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh
(Don’t worry)
Ooh oo-ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh
(Be happy)
Ooh oo-ooh oo-ooh
Don’t worry, be happy
Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh
(Don’t worry)
Ooh oo-ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh
(Be happy)
Ooh oo-ooh oo-ooh
Don’t worry, be happy

Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh
(Don’t worry)
Ooh oo-ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh
(Don’t worry, don’t worry, don’t do it, be happy)
Ooh oo-ooh oo-ooh
(Put a smile on your face, don’t bring everybody down like this)
Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh
(Don’t worry)
Ooh oo-ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh
(It will soon pass, whatever it is)
Ooh oo-ooh oo-ooh
Don’t worry, be happy
Ooh oo-ooh oo-ooh
I’m not worried, I’m happy

You Missed

SHE HAD BEEN SINGING MOUNTAIN MUSIC SINCE BEFORE BLUEGRASS EVEN HAD A NAME. THEN, AT 80, WILMA LEE COOPER COLLAPSED ON THE OPRY STAGE WITH THE SONG STILL IN HER THROAT. Wilma Lee Cooper came out of Valley Head, West Virginia, where music was not something you studied in a conservatory. It was family. Church. Radio. Coal-country evenings. Her father worked in the mines. Her mother played pump organ. Wilma started singing when she was five, then sang with her family gospel group before she ever became part of country music history. She met Stoney Cooper in the early 1940s. He played fiddle. She sang and played guitar. Together they built a sound that sat between mountain gospel, old-time string band music, and the country music that had not yet decided how polished it wanted to become. They did not wait for genre labels. They drove. They broadcast. They played wherever people would listen. The roads were part of the act. Their daughter Carol Lee sometimes slept in the car under the upright bass while Wilma and Stoney went from show to show. They raised a family while keeping a band alive. They recorded songs like “Big Midnight Special,” “There’s a Big Wheel,” and “Wreck on the Highway.” By 1957, they had joined the Grand Ole Opry. The Smithsonian later called Wilma Lee the “First Lady of Bluegrass.” But that title came after decades of work. It came after she and Stoney had already spent years carrying the mountain sound through a country business that was moving toward smoother voices and cleaner suits. Then Stoney died in 1977. Wilma Lee did not leave with him. She stayed with the Opry. She kept leading the Clinch Mountain Clan. The old mountain voice remained onstage, older now but still carrying the same hard edge. She had already sung for more than sixty years by the time she walked onto the Ryman Auditorium stage on February 24, 2001. She was eighty. During that performance, Wilma Lee suffered a stroke. The career ended there. Not in a retirement announcement. Not in a farewell special. Onstage, in the place where she had kept the old sound alive for generations. The illness affected her speech and voice, and doctors doubted she would walk again. But Wilma Lee did return once more. In 2010, at the reopening of the Opry House after the Nashville flood, she came back for a group sing-along. Not to reclaim the old career. Not to prove anything. Just to stand in the room one more time and thank the people who had carried her. For most of her life, Wilma Lee Cooper sang as if the mountain had come down from West Virginia and entered the microphone. Her last great silence came on the same stage where she had spent decades refusing to let that mountain disappear.

THE HALL OF FAME WAS READY TO FINALIZE THE JUDDS’ LEGACY, BUT THE CALENDAR WAS ONE DAY TOO CRUEL. NAOMI JUDD DID NOT GET TO STAND IN THE ROOM TO HEAR THE HONOR SHE HAD SPENT A LIFETIME EARNING. The story of The Judds was always a precarious, beautiful tightrope walk of harmony. After Naomi’s hepatitis C diagnosis in 1991 forced them off the road at the very height of their powers, the duo moved from the active stage into the realm of legend. While Wynonna’s powerful, singular voice propelled her forward, the name “The Judds” became a shared memory for fans—a sound that, once heard, couldn’t be unheard. When reunions occurred over the years, they were fleeting, emotional reminders of the chemistry that had defined the 80s: Wynonna’s raw, soulful intensity paired perfectly with Naomi’s grounding warmth. It was a blend that defied the gloss of Nashville, sounding less like a commercial product and more like a secret shared across a kitchen table. By 2022, the Country Music Hall of Fame was ready to cement their place in history. It was intended to be the ultimate homecoming—a moment to honor two women who had clawed their way from nothing to the pinnacle of the genre. But fate refused to provide a clean ending. Naomi Judd passed away on April 30, 2022, just 24 hours before the induction ceremony. The red carpet was dismantled, replaced by the crushing weight of a memorial. Wynonna and Ashley Judd took the stage that night, not to celebrate a triumph, but to navigate an impossible grief. Ashley’s words—expressing a heartbreaking apology that Naomi couldn’t “hang on”—echoed through a room that had shifted from a place of prestige to a place of profound mourning. That night, the Hall of Fame received the name, but the pair was broken. The bronze plaque was meant to be the culmination of a mother and daughter’s journey, but instead, it became a tombstone for a voice that fell silent just before the applause could reach it. The Judds were finally inducted, but the most important seat in the room remained empty.