Major view
B major
Brightness rank 2/7 (bright)
Characteristic notes
- 7 = A# (leading tone, pulls home)
- 4 = E (the note that leans on the 3rd)
Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry Be Happy - Chord
Key B major – G# minor Chords B, C#m, E Easy key D
No ratings yet
or your user informations
Make it yours
Text size
Key: B | Abm | G#m
Capo: 0
B C#m E B
B
Here's a little song I wrote
C#m
You might want to sing it note for note
E B
Don't worry, be happy.
B
In every life we have some trouble
C#m
But when you worry you make it double
E B
Don't worry, be happy.
B B
Don't worry, be happy now.
B C#m
E B
Don't worry, be happy. Don't worry, be happy.
B C#m
E B
Don't worry, be happy. Don't worry, be happy.
B
Ain't got no place to lay your head
C#m
Somebody came and took your bed
E B
Don't worry, be happy.
B
The landlord say your rent is late
C#m
He may have to litigate
E B
Don't worry, be happy.
B B
Look at me, I'm happy.
B C#m
2
E B
Don't worry, be happy.
B B B
Here I give you my phone number. When you worry, call me,
I make you happy.
B C#m
E B
Don't worry, be happy.
B
Ain't got no cash, ain't got no style
C#m
Ain't got no gal to make you smile
E B
Don't worry, be happy.
B
'Cause when you worry your face will frown
C#m
And that will bring everybody down
E B
Don't worry, be happy.
B B
Don't worry, be happy now.
B C#m
E B B
Don't worry, be happy. Don't worry, be happy.
B C#m
E B B
Don't worry, be happy. Don't worry, be happy.
B C#m
E
Don't worry, don't worry, don't do it.
B
Be happy. Put a smile on your face.
B C#m
Don't bring everybody down.
E B
Don't worry. It will soon pass, whatever it is.
B B
Don't worry, be happy.
C#m E B
I'm not worried, I'm happy
End of song Play again?
Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry Be Happy Tabs
NotesX
Harmony analysis
Bobby McFerrin – Don't Worry Be Happy: key and chord analysis
The song opens on B and ends on B. Its chords belong to both B major and G#m, so every chord below is read both ways.
Minor view
G# minor
Brightness rank 5/7 (leaning dark)
Characteristic notes
- b6 = E (the minor's melancholy)
- b7 = F# (natural-minor colour)
Which side does the ear lean to?
Our reading: to us the song feels closer to the B major side because it both starts and finishes on B and B is heard 44 times while G#m never appears. That is an interpretation, not a rule — hearing the same chords from G# minor is just as valid and teaches you something different.
Chord degrees: major and relative minor
Show the degrees above the chords — relative to B or to G#m; comparing both readings is a practice of its own.
Every chord of the key, listed 1 to 7 separately for each key. Chords played in the song show how often they appear; chords from outside the scale sit next to their own degree.
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | B | Tonic — home | B · D# · F# | 44× |
| ii | C#m | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | C# · E · G# | 16× |
| iii | D#m | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | D# · F# · A# | — |
| III | D# | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | D# · G · A# | — |
| IV | E | Subdominant — moves away from home | E · G# · B | 16× |
| V | F# | Dominant — strongest pull home | F# · A# · C# | — |
| vi | G#m | Relative minor — the melancholy side | G# · B · D# | — |
| vii° | A#dim | Leading-tone chord — tension | A# · C# · E | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | G#m | Tonic — home | G# · B · D# | — |
| ii° | A#dim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | A# · C# · E | — |
| III | B | Relative major — the bright side | B · D# · F# | 44× |
| iv | C#m | Subdominant — moves away from home | C# · E · G# | 16× |
| v | D#m | Minor dominant — soft pull | D# · F# · A# | — |
| V | D# | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | D# · G · A# | — |
| VI | E | Submediant — warm colour | E · G# · B | 16× |
| VII | F# | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | F# · A# · C# | — |
Analysis
The key pair is B major and its relative G# minor (5 sharps). 3 different chords appear 76 times in total; 3 of them sit naturally inside the shared scale. Everything stays inside one scale, which is why the song is easy to follow by ear.
Chord movement
- E B BIV → Iplagal cadence G#mVI → III ×16
The move to watch is E → B, heard 16 times. From the B side it reads IV → I (plagal cadence: the soft 'amen' ending); from the G#m side it is VI → III. Knowing where these arrivals fall helps you feel the phrasing and anticipate the next chord.
Improvisation tips
- B major pentatonic and G# minor pentatonic are the same five notes (B – C# – D# – F# – G#): start from B for a brighter phrase, from G# for a bluesier one.
- Over B, land on B, D#, F# — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over C#m, land on C#, E, G# — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over E, land on E, G#, B — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
The song on the circle of fifths
- Played in the song — chord of the key
- Played — the minor's harmonic V or a secondary dominant
- Played — borrowed or outside chord
- Home region: IV–I–V and ii–vi–iii
Empty slices are chords the song doesn't use.
Capo and easier keys
With B major shapes
- Capo 2 + A shapes
- Capo 4 + G shapes
- Capo 7 + E shapes
With G# minor shapes
- Capo 4 + Em shapes
- Capo 6 + Dm shapes
Easiest keys on guitar
- 3 semitones up
- 4 semitones down · capo 4 keeps the original pitch
The song's harmonic story
The first chord is B; the ear learns where home is within a second. The chords that keep coming back are B, C#m, E; read them as I–ii–IV in B or III–iv–VI in G#m. No chord leaves the shared scale, so a single pentatonic shape works over the whole song. Keep an ear on E → B (IV → I in B, VI → III in G#m): plagal cadence — the soft 'amen' ending. The final chord is B; the ear comes to rest in B.
This analysis is generated from the song's chords by akorculuk's harmony engine using consistent rules. When you change key, the degrees stay the same; only the chord names change.
Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry Be Happy Chords on Guitar, Ukulele and Piano
Hover over or tap a chord in the lyrics for its shapes, its degree in both keys and a listen button. Here you have every chord of the song side by side.
Repertoires with this song
Similar songs, ready to play: pick a list.
Report error for this content report.
All copyrights belong to their respective owners. If you think this content contains copyright infringement, please contact us.