Don't Worry Be Happy – English Lyrics

• By: Bobby McFerrin

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the uplifting message behind Bobby McFerrin's iconic song, "Don't Worry, Be Happy." Explore the origins of its inspiring lyrics and learn how its simple philosophy captured the hearts of millions, making it a timeless anthem for stress-free living.

[English]

("DON'T WORRY BE HAPPY") [WHISTLING]

♪ 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 ♪

♪ OH, 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 ♪

♪ 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 ♪

♪ DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY ♪

♪ OOH, OOH OOH OOH OO-OOH 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 ♪

♪ 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, DON'T DO IT ♪

♪ BE HAPPY ♪

♪ PUT A SMILE ON YOUR FACE ♪

♪ DON'T BRING EVERYBODY DOWN ♪

♪ DON'T WORRY ♪

♪ OOH, OOH OOH OOH OO-OOH OOH OO-OOH ♪

♪ PEOPLE WILL SOON PASS, WHATEVER IT IS ♪

♪ DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY ♪

♪ OOH, OOH OOH OOH OO-OOH OOH OO-OOH ♪

♪ I'M NOT WORRIED ♪

♪ I'M HAPPY ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
worry /ˈwʌri/ A2	verb - to be anxious or uneasy about actual or potential problems noun - a state of anxiety and concern
happy /ˈhæpi/ A1	adjective - feeling or showing pleasure or contentment
song /sɔŋ/ A1	noun - a short musical composition with words
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic matter
trouble /ˈtrʌbl/ A2	noun - difficulty or problems
late /leɪt/ A2	adjective - doing things after the expected time
smile /smaɪl/ A1	noun - a facial expression indicating pleasure or amusement verb - to have or show a smile
face /feɪs/ A1	noun - the front part of the head
frown /fraʊn/ B2	verb - to furrow one's brow in an expression of disapproval, displeasure, or concentration noun - an expression of disapproval, displeasure, or concentration
cash /kæʃ/ A2	noun - money in coins or notes
number /ˈnʌmbər/ A1	noun - a symbol or word used to represent an amount or quantity
call /kɔːl/ A1	verb - to give someone a phone call noun - a telephone conversation
place /pleɪs/ A1	noun - a particular position, point, or area in space
head /hed/ A1	noun - the part of the body above the neck
rent /rent/ A2	noun - a tenant's regular payment to a landlord for the use of property or land. verb - pay someone for the use of (something, typically property, land, or a car).
style /staɪl/ B1	noun - a distinctive appearance, typically determined by the principles according to which something is designed

Key Grammar Structures

• ♪ HERE'S A LITTLE SONG I WROTE ♪

  ➔ Present Perfect Tense

  ➔ The phrase 'I WROTE' uses the Present Perfect Tense to indicate an action completed in the past with relevance to the present.

• ♪ YOU MIGHT WANT TO SING IT NOTE FOR NOTE ♪

  ➔ Modal Verb (Might)

  ➔ The word 'MIGHT' is a modal verb used to express possibility or a suggestion.

• ♪ DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY ♪

  ➔ Imperative Mood

  ➔ The phrases 'DON'T WORRY' and 'BE HAPPY' are in the Imperative Mood, used to give commands or advice.

• ♪ WHEN YOU WORRY YOU MAKE IT DOUBLE ♪

  ➔ Simple Present Tense with Pronoun 'You'

  ➔ The phrase 'YOU WORRY' uses the Simple Present Tense with the pronoun 'You' to describe a habitual action.

• ♪ AIN'T GOT NO PLACE TO LAY YOUR HEAD ♪

  ➔ Double Negative (Ain't + No)

  ➔ The phrase 'AIN'T GOT NO' is an example of double negative, which is non-standard but common in colloquial language.

• ♪ HE MAY HAVE TO LITIGATE ♪

  ➔ Modal Verb (May) + Have to

  ➔ The phrase 'MAY HAVE TO' combines the modal verb 'May' with 'Have to' to express a possible obligation.

• ♪ LOOK AT ME, I'M HAPPY ♪

  ➔ Present Continuous Tense

  ➔ The phrase 'I'M HAPPY' uses the Present Continuous Tense to describe a current state of being.

• ♪ WHEN YOU WORRY, CALL ME, I MAKE YOU HAPPY ♪

  ➔ Conditional Sentence (If Clause)

  ➔ The phrase 'WHEN YOU WORRY, CALL ME' is a conditional sentence indicating an action dependent on a condition.