Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing

Last updated

"Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing"
Worry'bout.jpeg
Single by Stevie Wonder
from the album Innervisions
B-side
ReleasedMarch 5, 1974 (1974-03-05)
Genre
Length4:44(album version)
3:40 (single version)
Label Tamla
Songwriter(s) Stevie Wonder
Producer(s) Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder singles chronology
"Living for the City"
(1973)		"Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing"
(1974)		"He's Misstra Know-It-All"
(1974)
Official audio
"Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing" on YouTube

"Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing" is a song by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder, released as the third single from his sixteenth studio album, Innervisions (1973). It reached number 16 on the US Billboard Pop Singles chart, number 10 on the Cash Box Top 100, [2] and number two on the R&B chart. The song's lyrics convey a positive message, focusing on taking things in one's stride and accentuating the positive. In 1992, British band Incognito had a European hit with their cover of the song.

Contents

Music and lyrics

The tune is in E♭ minor, starting with a Latin piano intro. The opening melody is reminiscent of Horace Silver's "Song for My Father", [3] over which Stevie engages in an English-speaking dialogue with a woman, trying to impress her with talk of worldliness of having been to "Iraq, Iran, Eurasia" before changing to somewhat unintelligible Spanish, using the phrase "Todo 'stá bien chévere", which loosely translates as "Everything's really great," continuing with an attempt to impress the woman.

It uses the "Sunny" chord progression. [4]

Reception

Describing the song for the "Stevie Wonder: 20 Essential Songs" feature in The Daily Telegraph , Chris Harvey said:

With its playful Latin-piano-and-street-jive intro ... and its uplifting, upward-spiralling chorus, Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing easily takes its place among the works of pure joy that the musical prodigy has effortlessly poured out throughout his career. Showcased on the 1973 Innervisions album that came from the period in which Wonder ... was experimenting with synthesized sounds with producer Robert Margouleff, it's a back-to-basics song (although it does feature a Moog bass, played by Wonder) that relies on the interplay of piano, percussion and that ecstatic voice. It sounds and feels like a burst of summer happiness. [5]

Billboard said that the song is a "strong ballad with gentle arrangements". [6] Cash Box called it an "interesting Latin flavored disk," going on to say that "the vocals are soft and perfectly accented by some fine piano by Stevie and great backing percussion." [7] Record World said that "quasi-Spanish banter introduces a Latin-lilting [song]" in which "he feeling [Wonder] produced on 'You Are The Sunshine of My Life' goes uptempo and uptown." [8]

Charts

Incognito version

"Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing"
Incognito-Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing.jpg
Single by Incognito
from the album Tribes, Vibes and Scribes
B-side "Colibri"
ReleasedMay 25, 1992 (1992-05-25) [14]
Genre
Label Talkin' Loud
Songwriter(s) Stevie Wonder
Producer(s)
  • J.P. 'Bluey' Maunick
  • Richard Bull
Incognito singles chronology
"Always There"
(1991)		"Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing"
(1992)		"Change"
(1992)
Music video
"Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing" on YouTube

In 1992, British acid jazz band Incognito covered "Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing" on their third album, Tribes, Vibes and Scribes (1992). It features vocals by American jazz singer Maysa Leak and was a hit in Europe. The single was successful especially in the Netherlands, where it peaked at number six. Additionally, it was a top 20 hit in the United Kingdom, a top 30 hit in Belgium and a top 40 hit in Sweden. A music video was produced to promote the single. It features the band performing the song in a blue Triumph Herald 13/60 Convertible, while driving in the streets of London. Other scenes show them in a multistorey car park. A re-issue of the single was released in 2005.

Critical reception

Paula Edelstein from AllMusic described the song as a "killer cover". [15] Another editor, David Jeffries, called it an "effervescent cover". [16] Andy Beevers from Music Week viewed it as "Latin-tinged commercial jazz funk". [17] Sam Wood from The Philadelphia Inquirer deemed it a "killer version" that "springs off this disc with flourishes of bright, brassy Miami Horns, a suncopated house-styled piano figure, and Maysa Leak's stunning voice." [18] James Hamilton from the RM Dance Update, stated that Stevie Wonder's "brassily strutting 1974 US hit is here wailed by new girl Maysa". [19]

Track listing

  1. "Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing" (LP Version) – 5:17
  2. "Colibri" (Remix) – 5:39
  3. "Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing" (Frankie Foncett Mix) – 6:38
  4. "Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing" (Frankie Foncett Underground Instrumental Mix) – 5:35
  1. "Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing" (Edit) – 4:09
  2. "Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing" (LP Version) – 5:18
  3. "Colibri" (Remix) – 5:40
  4. "Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing" (Frankie Foncett Mix) – 6:40

Charts

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stevie Wonder</span> American musician (born 1950)

Stevland Hardaway Morris, known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include R&B, pop, soul, gospel, funk, and jazz. A virtual one-man band, Wonder's use of synthesizers and other electronic musical instruments during the 1970s reshaped the conventions of contemporary R&B. He also helped drive such genres into the album era, crafting his LPs as cohesive and consistent, in addition to socially conscious statements with complex compositions. Blind since shortly after his birth, Wonder was a child prodigy who signed with Motown's Tamla label at the age of 11, where he was given the professional name Little Stevie Wonder.

<i>Innervisions</i> 1973 studio album by Stevie Wonder

Innervisions is the sixteenth studio album by American singer, songwriter, and musician Stevie Wonder, released on August 3, 1973, by Tamla, a subsidiary of Motown Records. A landmark recording of Wonder's "classic period", the album has been regarded as completing his transition from the "Little Stevie Wonder" known for romantic ballads into a more musically mature, conscious, and grown-up artist. On the album, Wonder continued to experiment with the revolutionary T.O.N.T.O. synthesizer system developed by Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff, and Innervisions became hugely influential on the future sound of commercial soul and black music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sir Duke</span> 1977 single by Stevie Wonder

"Sir Duke" is a song composed and performed by Stevie Wonder from his 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life. Released as a single in 1977, the track topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and Black Singles charts, and reached number two in the UK Singles Chart, his joint biggest hit there at the time. Billboard ranked it as the No. 18 song of 1977.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ebony and Ivory</span> 1982 single by Paul McCartney featuring Stevie Wonder

"Ebony and Ivory" is a song that was released in 1982 as a single by Paul McCartney featuring Stevie Wonder. It was issued on 29 March that year as the lead single from McCartney's third solo album, Tug of War (1982). Written by McCartney, the song aligns the black and white keys of a piano keyboard with the theme of racial harmony. The single reached number one on both the UK and the US charts and was among the top-selling singles of 1982 in the US. During the apartheid era, the South African Broadcasting Corporation banned the song after Wonder dedicated his 1984 Academy Award for Best Original Song to Nelson Mandela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Incognito (band)</span> British acid jazz band

Incognito is a British acid jazz band. Their debut album, Jazz Funk, was released in 1981.

<i>3 + 3</i> 1973 studio album by the Isley Brothers

3 + 3 is the eleventh album released by the Isley Brothers for the Epic label under their T-Neck imprint on August 7, 1973. In 2020, the album was ranked at 464 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)</span> 1973 song composed by Stevie Wonder, performed by Aretha Franklin

"Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)" is a song written by Morris Broadnax, Clarence Paul, and Stevie Wonder. The song was originally recorded by Stevie Wonder in 1967, but his version was not released as a single and did not appear on an album until 1977's anthology Looking Back. The best-known version of this song is the 1973 release by Aretha Franklin, who had a million-selling top 10 hit on Billboard charts. The song reached No. 1 on the R&B chart and No. 3 on the Hot 100 chart in 1974. It became an RIAA Gold record.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours</span> 1970 single by Stevie Wonder

"Signed, Sealed, Delivered " is a soul song, by American musician Stevie Wonder, released in June 1970 as a single on Motown's Tamla label. It spent six weeks at number one on the U.S. R&B chart and peaked at number three on the U.S. Pop chart. In the same year, the song was also released on the album Signed, Sealed & Delivered.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Haven't Done Nothin'</span> 1974 single by Stevie Wonder

"You Haven't Done Nothin" is a 1974 funk single by Stevie Wonder, taken from his album Fulfillingness' First Finale and featuring background vocals by the Jackson 5. The politically aware song became Wonder's fourth Number 1 pop hit and his tenth Number 1 soul hit. It also reached Number 1 in Canada. In the UK the single spent five weeks on the chart, peaking at Number 30.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boogie On Reggae Woman</span> 1974 single by Stevie Wonder

"Boogie On Reggae Woman" is a 1974 funk song by American Motown artist Stevie Wonder, released as the second single from his seventeenth studio album, Fulfillingness' First Finale, issued that same year. Despite the song's title, its style is firmly funk/R&B and neither boogie nor reggae. It continued Wonder's successful Top Ten streak on the pop charts, reaching number three and also spent two weeks at number one on the soul charts. Billboard ranked it as the No. 26 song for 1975. At the 17th Grammy Awards, Stevie Wonder won the Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male for this song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunny (Bobby Hebb song)</span> 1966 soul jazz song by Bobby Hebb

"Sunny" is a soul jazz standard written by Bobby Hebb in 1963. It is one of the most performed and recorded popular songs, with hundreds of versions released and its chord progression influencing later songs. BMI rates "Sunny" No. 25 in its "Top 100 songs of the century".

Maysa Leak is an American jazz singer better known by her mononym Maysa. She is well known by fans of smooth jazz both for her solo work and her work with the British band Incognito.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Another Star</span> 1977 single by Stevie Wonder

"Another Star" is a song written and performed by Stevie Wonder from his 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life. It is the final track on side four of the double LP. The flute player Bobbi Humphrey appears in the last section of the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Don't Know Why</span> 1969 single by Stevie Wonder

"I Don't Know Why" is a song by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder, from the 1968 album For Once in My Life. It was released as a single on January 28, 1969, with "My Cherie Amour" on the B-side. A few months later, the single was re-issued with sides reversed because of the growing popularity of "My Cherie Amour", which became a Top Ten hit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Living for the City</span> 1973 single by Stevie Wonder

"Living for the City" is a 1973 single by Stevie Wonder from his Innervisions album. It reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 1 on the R&B chart. Rolling Stone ranked the song number 104 on their 2004 list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Join Our Club</span> 1992 single by Saint Etienne

"Join Our Club" is a song by English musical group Saint Etienne, released by Heavenly Records in May 1992 as a double-A side with "People Get Real".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Ain't Gonna Stand for It</span>

"I Ain't Gonna Stand for It" is the second single from Stevie Wonder's 1980 album, Hotter Than July. It reached number four on the Billboard R&B singles chart and number 11 on the Hot 100. It also hit number 10 on the UK Singles Chart. The song is famous for Wonder's imitation of a seasoned country-and-western crooner and his inspiring drumming. Charlie and Ronnie Wilson of The Gap Band provide backing vocals on the song. It was covered by Eric Clapton in 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All in Love Is Fair</span> Song by Stevie Wonder

"All in Love Is Fair" is a song by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder recorded for his sixteenth studio album, Innervisions (1973). Written and produced by Wonder, it was released as a 7" single in Brazil in 1974. The song is a pop ballad with lyrics that describe the end of a relationship through the use of clichés. Critical reaction to the song has been varied: Matthew Greenwald of AllMusic wrote that it was among Wonder's "finest ballad statements", but Robert Christgau felt that the singer's performance was "immature". Wonder has included it on several of his greatest hits albums, including the most recent, 2005's The Complete Stevie Wonder.

"Kalimba Story" is a song by R&B band Earth, Wind & Fire released as a single in 1974 on Columbia Records.

<i>Tribes, Vibes + Scribes</i> 1992 studio album by Incognito

Tribes, Vibes + Scribes is an album by the British acid jazz band Incognito, released in 1992 on Talkin' Loud Records. The album peaked at No. 41 on the UK Pop Albums Chart.

References

  1. ↑ Considine, J.D. (2004). "Stevie Wonder". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 885–886. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8.
  2. 1 2 "Top 100 1974-06-01". Cashbox Magazine . Archived from the original on October 3, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Segment 24 | Bill Fitzhugh". billfitzhugh.com. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
  4. ↑ Cleary, Tom (November 26, 2019). "A history of the chord progression from Bobby Hebb's 'Sunny', and an original tune based on it ('Eye On The Sky')". BirdFeed. Archived from the original on January 15, 2024. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Stevie Wonder: 20 essential songs". www.telegraph.co.uk.
  6. ↑ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. March 23, 1974. p. 62. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  7. ↑ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. March 30, 1974. p. 24. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. March 30, 1974. p. 1. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  9. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955–2012. Record Research. p. 925.
  10. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–2001. Record Research. p. 263.
  11. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 635.
  12. ↑ Canada, Library and Archives (July 17, 2013). "Image : RPM Weekly". www.bac-lac.gc.ca.
  13. ↑ "Top 100 Hits of 1974/Top 100 Songs of 1974". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
  14. ↑ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week . May 23, 1992. p. 19.
  15. ↑ Edelstein, Paula. "Incognito – Best of Incognito". AllMusic . Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  16. ↑ Jeffries, David. "Incognito – Millennium Collection: 20th Century Masters". AllMusic . Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  17. ↑ Beevers, Andy (May 23, 1992). "Dance" (PDF). Music Week . p. 8. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  18. ↑ Wood, Sam (February 2, 1993). "Incognito – Tribes Vibes + Scribes". p. E5. The Philadelphia Inquirer .
  19. ↑ Hamilton, James (May 30, 1992). "DJ Directory: Out On Monday" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 8. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  20. 1 2 "INCOGNITO – DON'T YOU WORRY 'BOUT A THING (SONG)". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  21. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media . August 1, 1992. p. 33. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  22. ↑ "EDR Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media . July 18, 1992. p. 16. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  23. ↑ "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week . June 6, 1992. p. 18. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.