Don't Worry, Be Happy

Updated on Jan 07, 2024

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A-side "Don't Worry Be Happy" Genre Reggae jazz a cappella		Recorded 1988

B-side "Good Lovin'" "Simple Pleasures" (optional) Released September 1988, 1989, 2000 Format 12" maxi 7" promo 7" single CD single

"Don't Worry, Be Happy" is a popular worldwide hit song by musician Bobby McFerrin. Released in September 1988, it became the first a cappella song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, a position it held for two weeks. The song's title is taken from a famous quotation by Meher Baba. The "instruments" in the a cappella song are entirely overdubbed voice parts and other sounds made by McFerrin, using no instruments at all; McFerrin also sings with an affected accent. The comedic original music video for the song stars McFerrin, Robin Williams, and Bill Irwin, and is considerably shorter than the album version.

Background

The Indian mystic and sage Meher Baba (1894–1969) often used the expression "Don't worry, be happy" when cabling his followers in the West.

In the 1960s, the expression was printed up on inspirational cards and posters of the era. In 1988, McFerrin noticed a similar poster in the apartment of the jazz duo Tuck & Patti in San Francisco. Inspired by the expression's charm and simplicity, McFerrin wrote the now famous song, which was included in the soundtrack of the movie Cocktail, and became a hit single the next year. In an interview by Bruce Fessier for USA Weekend magazine in 1988 McFerrin said, "Whenever you see a poster of Meher Baba, it usually says 'Don't worry, be happy,' which is a pretty neat philosophy in four words, I think."

Linda Goldstein, the song's producer, said the song gave McFerrin "the freedom to explore," adding, "He is a man of infinite, unfathomable, boundless voices and everything he has ever heard has gone into his brain, from the Mickey Mouse Club theme to the Metropolitan Opera."

Chart performance

Originally released in conjunction with the film Cocktail in 1988, the song originally peaked at No. 88 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was re-released the same year and peaked at No. 1 on September 24, 1988 displacing "Sweet Child o' Mine" by Guns N' Roses which had previously held the No. 1 spot.

The song also peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Tracks chart and No. 7 on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart. The song was also a hit in the United Kingdom and on the UK Singles Chart, the song reached number 2 during its fifth week on the chart (kept from the top spot by Whitney Houston's "One Moment in Time").

The song is the first a cappella song to reach the Billboard Hot 100 chart and one critic noted it is a "formula for facing life's trials."

While the song reached No. 1 on the charts, its album Simple Pleasures reached No. 12 on the album charts after starting out at No. 20 when it was first released.

Usage in popular culture

Comedian George Carlin wrote in Napalm and Silly Putty that many Americans would embrace the philosophy of denial in the song.

The song was used in George H. W. Bush's 1988 U.S. presidential election as Bush's 1988 official presidential campaign song, without Bobby McFerrin's permission or endorsement. In reaction, Bobby McFerrin (a Democrat) publicly protested that particular use of his song, including stating that he was going to vote against Bush, and completely dropped the song from his own performance repertoire, to make the point even clearer. The George H. W. Bush campaign then reportedly desisted from further use of the song.

In 1989, Delacorte Press published a book titled Don’t Worry, Be Happy with the song’s lyrics, 20 new verses written by McFerrin, and illustrations by Bennett Carlson.

The song became an unofficial anthem in Jamaica after Hurricane Gilbert struck the island in September 1988 (coinciding with the song's release) and caused months of hardship to the population. The song is often erroneously attributed to Bob Marley.

In 2001, Mondo Club recorded the titular single. The performer was Trevor Taylor.

In 2008, the song was featured in the Disney/PIXAR animated film WALL-E. McFerrin had previously provided vocal work for PIXAR's short film Knick Knack.

In November 2014, it was featured as a mashup with "Winter Wonderland" by a cappella group Pentatonix featuring Tori Kelly on the album That's Christmas to Me.

It was featured in the dance video game Just Dance 2015.

This song is used on the commercials of Mattress Firm

Awards

The song is ranked No. 31 on VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s and also appears on Rolling Stone's list of the 15 Best Whistling Songs of All Time. At the 1989 Grammy Awards, "Don't Worry, Be Happy" won the awards for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

Cover versions

Versions of "Don't Worry, Be Happy" have been recorded by several artists. The Katsimiha Brothers made a Greek cover of the song with original lyrics, and Montenegrin musician Rambo Amadeus made a parody entitled "Don't Happy, Be Worry", as a critique to the optimism of the music scene in the former Yugoslavia in the face of war and economic depression. In addition, the lyrics of "Fight the Power" by hip-hop artists Public Enemy refer critically to "Don't Worry, Be Happy". This song is also added into the Big Mouth Billy Bass, a very popular animatronic singing toy. Hermes House Band covered the song on their Rhythm of the Nineties album in 2009. Reggae artist Cas Haley covered the song as a hidden bonus track on his Favorites album (together with former Jah Roots lead singer, Josh Heinrichs). Also in 1989 Dutch rock DJ Alfred Lagarde recorded a version in Dutch with a heavy Surinam accent under the name Johnny Camaro. Spanish Ska band The Locos covered this song in a similar style, Ska. In 2015, Alvin and the Chipmunks and The Chipettes covered the song for the live stage tour Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Musical.

References

Don't Worry, Be Happy Wikipedia

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