Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
Don’t Worry, Be Happy: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Bobby McFerrin
- A minor
- 4/4
- 138 BPM
- 1988
- Easy
Don’t Worry, Be Happy written out as piano music: the III – i – iv – III – i loop in A minor for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays double-tap drop (broken chord 8-8-5) and the right hand double-clap chords.
Don’t Worry, Be Happy chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in A minor. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | III | C E G |
| 2 | Am | i | A C E |
| 3 | Dm | iv | D F A |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: double-tap drop (broken chord 8-8-5) in the left hand and double-clap chords in the right, over the C – C – Am – Dm – Dm chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
To see the real melody written out, play “The part you know”: the sheet music changes to it.
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Questions about Don’t Worry, Be Happy
Does the sheet music for Don’t Worry, Be Happy have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
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.