Don't Worry Be Happy

Album: Simple Pleasures (1988)
Charted: 2 1
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  • 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
    But 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) don't worry
    (Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh) be happy
    (Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh) don't worry, be happy
    (Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh) don't worry
    (Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh) be happy
    (Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh 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, don't worry, be happy)
    Oh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh don't worry, be happy
    Here I give you my phone number, when you worry, call me, I make you happy, don't worry, be happy)
    Don't worry, be happy
    Ain't got no cash, ain't got no style
    Ain't got no gal to make you smile
    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) don't worry
    (Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh) be happy
    (Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh) don't worry, be happy
    (Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh) don't worry
    (Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh) be happy
    (Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh) don't worry, be happy

    Now there, is this song I wrote
    I hope you learned note for note
    Like good little children, don't worry, be happy
    Now listen to what I said, in your life expect some trouble
    When you worry you make it double
    But don't worry, be happy, be happy now

    (Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh) don't worry
    (Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh) be happy
    (Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh) don't worry, be happy

    (Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh) don't worry
    (Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh) be happy
    (Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh) don't worry, be happy

    (Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh) don't worry, don't worry
    (Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh) don't worry, don't do it, be happy
    (Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh) put a smile in your face
    (Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh) don't bring everybody down like this

    (Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh) don't worry
    (Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh) it will soon pass, whatever it is
    (Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh) don't worry, be happy
    (Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh ooh oo-ooh) I'm not worried, I'm happy Writer/s: Robert Jr. McFerrin
    Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 25

  • Donna from Allentown PaI will never forget the first time I heard this song. I was in college, and was eating breakfast in the cafeteria. Hardly anyone was there, so it was quiet except for the radio. I was seriously seriously depressed that morning. I can't remember why, but my heart was just aching terribly. Then that song came on. It was such a silly, happy, and warm song that I found myself becoming so comforted. I just sat there eating, feeling his silly, good hearted voice and lyrics. It really helped me that day.
  • Robbyn from Seagraves,texasIt has a catchy beat to it and a bit of irony is Robin Williams who stars in the video commited suicide
  • Margie from Myrtle Beach ,scFollower of Meher Baba love this great song!
  • Rj from The Non-moronic Tribe Of Humankind In reply to Musicmama from New York, Ny - He lacked "talent & vision" huh? How many albums have you sold? We'll wait.... Also, for all his lack of talent, he sure inspired a lot of future artists w/his voice & the things he was able to do!
  • Rj from The Non-moronic Tribe Of Humankind It still blows my mind the ignorance of some people constantly talking about only liking "Bob Marley's version" & not even realizing they're actually listening to Bobby McFerrin.... especially considering Bob Marley was already dead 7 years when McFerrin wrote & released it, so Marley NEVER ONCE COVERED OR RECORDED THIS SONG. Not to mention, none of the versions even sound like Bob Marley's voice! Man, people can be so dumb & gullible...
  • Mariam Maria Mutambuze from Kampala UgandaI love that song Bob 's version is better
  • Hannah from Hopkinton, MaIt was heard in WALL-E!
  • Joel from Lawrence, KsI can't believe that nobody has mentioned that this song was featured in the movie "Jarhead". It was also featured on the soundtrack. Bill Cosby was in the video for this slightly annoying song.
    It only got annoying because of too much play back when MTV and VH1 actually showed music videos instead of all the reality show *bleep* that is shown now. Semper fi
  • Ben from Perth, AustraliaTo Billy of Nederland: This song has never been recorded by Bob Marley. It was released in 1988 - Marley died in 1981.
  • Billy from Nederland , TxI am singing this song in a choir concert.My friend and I don't like Bob McFerrin's version of this. I like Bob Marley's version.
  • Stormy from Kokomo, InI still can't believe that this song beat out The Beach Boy's "Kokomo" for Song of the Year in 1988!
  • Montse from Verdú, SpainHave two or three high-spirited drinks and it'll all make sense... and you'll sing along the chorus all night long. If you are not under this condition, well, "Hakuna Matata" is far better!!.
  • Musicmama from New York, NyI was very happy when they stopped playing this song ten times an hour on the radio.
  • Musicmama from New York, NyTo Jameson of Lexington, KY: McFerrin may have lacked talent or vision, but Bush the Elder lacked taste and discretion. I understand that such things run in families.
  • Mitch from Melboune, AustraliaBobby Mcferrin is awsome, and really awsome, it would be awsome to meet him DON'T WORRY BE HAPPY!
  • Dave from Cardiff, WalesIn reply to Kim from New Brunswick, NJ - the song that held "Don't Worry Be Happy" off the #1 spot in the UK was "Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)" by Enya, which topped the UK chart for three weeks in October/November 1988. "Don't Worry Be Happy" was #2 for the second and third of those three weeks. "Orinoco Flow" was less successful in the US, where it only made #24. And Alan, Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada - I've always liked this song and still do, it's so upbeat and positive!
  • Elo from Pärnu, EuropePeople who believe that it is bad and irksome, just don't know what good music is and I feel really sorry for them :)
    This isn't your average pop song, it is so positive and above this typical music, that there is no way to not like it :)
  • Kim from New Btunswick, NjWhat!? This only went to no. 2 UK!? That's really disappointing, actually. It would have been a much more complete, happy story had it held both top spots. : / It seems like EVERY song goes to number two in the UK. Does anyone know who kept McFerrin out of the top spot?
  • Jenny from Ontario, CanadaThe "Indian guru" listed in the facts, I believe, is Meher Baba. Pete Townshend of The Who is a Baba follower and I've read several references to "Don't worry, be happy" along with Baba.
  • Dan from Sydney, Australiathis song answers everything
  • Robin from Birmingham, AlTo me, the most irksome aspect of the song was the oh-so-fake Caribbean accent McFerrin affected for it.
  • Alan from Grande Prairie, Alberta, CanadaSorry but this has to list as one of the worst songs to reach #1. I've never met anyone whose admitted to liking it.
  • Steven from Arlington Heights, IlHaha, talking fish.

    I had this song added to the roster, and was extremely surprised it wasn't added before. It was insanely popular when it was released. I grew up listening to the whole album, so there will always be a soft spot for McFerrin, even though many people dislike this song (after a while listening to it non stop gets a bit annoying, and then it became so popular that Bob couldn't do anything as good or better that he became known as a one hit wonder).
    Unfortunately that's what he'll be known as, a one hit wonder. I don't think he ever believed he'd get that popular, and it sorta ruined his pop music career, but he's moved on to better things.
  • Johnny from Los Angeles, CaThat's hilarious Jameson! Too bad nobody but u and me are talking here. On another subject, this song is on the infamous talking fish along with "Take me to the River." My friend once but it on his bike and we rode through LA blasting those songs!
  • Jameson from Lexington, KyIn 1988, the George H. W. Bush presidential campaign wanted to use this as a campaign song. McFerrin refused.
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