Table of Contents
Listening Activity
This listening activity is based on the song “Don’t Worry, Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin“. The song lyrics are beautiful and ideal for English learners and include many interesting language topics, such as conditional sentences and the imperative.
Don’t Worry, Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin
Don’t Worry, Be Happy is a song by musician Bobby McFerrin. This page provides information about the song and links to the lyrics and the official video.
Don’t Worry, Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin
Level
Beginner and intermediate students.
Facts about the Song
- Song: Don’t worry, be happy
- Album: Simple Pleasures
- Date of release: September 1988
- Genre: Reggae, Jazz
- Length of the song: 4 minutes and 50 seconds.
- Writer: Bobby McFerrin
- Produced by: Linda Goldstein
Interesting Information about the Song
“Don’t Worry, Be Happy” is an iconic song by Bobby McFerrin, released in 1988. The song’s title comes from a famous quotation by Meher Baba (1894-1969), an Indian mystic and spiritual teacher who often used the expression “Don’t worry, be happy” in his communications with followers.
McFerrin’s a cappella track became the first song without instruments to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. Its upbeat melody and simple message of positivity resonated with audiences worldwide, making it a timeless anthem for optimism.
The song’s music video also featured notable appearances by comedian Robin Williams, adding to its popularity.
The Video
The Lyrics
Language Points
The song includes many interesting language points:
- The imperative.
- Conditional Sentences
- Slang language – double negation
Expressions that may be useful to students:
- Don’t worry, be happy.
- When you worry your face will frown and that will bring everybody down
- Ain’t got no place to lay your head
Listening Comprehension
Sentence Completion Exercise
Complete these sentences while listening to the song:
- When you worry, your face will ________.
- The landlord says your rent is ________.
- If you have no place to lay your ________, don’t worry.
- Ain’t got no cash, ain’t got no ________, but don’t worry.
- The singer says to put a ________ on your face.
Gap-Fill Exercise
These words are used in the lyrics of the song:
- Note: A musical sound or a symbol representing it.
- Trouble: Difficulties or problems.Litigate: To take a dispute to a court of law.
- Frown: A facial expression showing displeasure or worry.
- Gal: Informal term for a girl or woman.
- Landlord: A person who rents out property to others.
- Temporary: Lasting for only a limited period of time.
Complete these sentences with the words provided above:
- If your rent is late, the ________ might decide to ________.
- Don’t ________; it will soon pass, whatever ________ you are facing.
- Even if you don’t have a ________ to make you smile, you can still be happy.
- A ________ on your face shows that you are not happy.
- The song encourages you to sing it note for ________.
- Remember, the difficult times you’re going through are ________.
Source: Wikipedia
