Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Don’t Worry, Be Happy on piano
By Bobby McFerrin
- A minor
- 4/4
- 138 BPM
- 1988
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Don’t Worry, Be Happy in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – C – Am – Dm – Dm
How it goes
Don’t Worry, Be Happy sits in A minor: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 5 chords: C is C, E and G; Am is A, C and E; Dm is D, F and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIIICIIIAmiDmivDmiv- CC · E · G
- AmA · C · E
- DmD · F · A
- 2
Left hand: Double-tap drop
How it goes
The same note twice, long then short, then a drop to a lower note. Musicians call it broken chord 8-8-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 336 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Double-clap chords
How it goes
Quick double claps on beats 2 and 4, leaving beats 1 and 3 empty. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 138 BPM
How it goes
Put the two hands together over the loop. Start at half speed with the player's speed control, and bring it up once every change is easy.
- 5
Ending: Bm – D – A
How it goes
The last chords are ii – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BmDA- BmB · D · F#
- DD · F# · A
- AA · C# · E
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Questions about Don’t Worry, Be Happy
What chords are in Don’t Worry, Be Happy?
The loop is C – C – Am – Dm – Dm (III – i – iv – III – i) in A minor, and the song ends on Bm – D – A.
What key is Don’t Worry, Be Happy in?
A minor, at about 138 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Don’t Worry, Be Happy?
Double-tap drop: broken chord 8-8-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Don’t Worry, Be Happy easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 5 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Don’t Worry, Be Happy?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the intro of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.