Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing

"Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing" is a single by Stevie Wonder from his 1973 album Innervisions. It reached number 16 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart, number 10 on the Cash Box chart,[1] and number 2 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.

"Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing"
Single by Stevie Wonder
from the album Innervisions
B-side	"Blame It on the Sun" or "All In Love Is Fair"
Released	March 5, 1974
Genre	Latin soul
Length	4:44 (album version) 3:40 (single version)
Label	Tamla
Songwriter(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)

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"[2] over which Stevie engages in an English dialogue with a woman, trying to impress her with talk of worldliness of having been to "Iraq, Iran" and a fictional place he calls "Ukraingia," before changing to Spanish, using the phrase "Todo 'stá bien chévere", which loosely translates as "Everything's really great," continuing with an attempt to impress the woman.

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.[3]

Billboard said that the song is a "strong ballad with gentle arrangements."[4]

Incognito version

"Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing"
Single by Incognito
from the album Tribes, Vibes and Scribes
Released	1992
Genre	Acid jazz soul house
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 band Incognito covered "Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing" on their third album, Tribes, Vibes and Scribes. 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 6. 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 made to accompany the song. It features the band performing the song in an open car, while driving in the streets of London. Other scenes show them in a parking lot. A re-issue of the single was released in 2005.

Critical reception

Paula Edelstein from AllMusic described the song as a "killer cover".[5] Another editor, David Jeffries called it an "effervescent cover".[6] Music Week noted it as a "Latin-tinged commercial jazz funk".[7] James Hamilton from Record Mirror stated that Stevie Wonder's "brassily strutting 1974 US hit is here wailed by new girl Maysa [Leak]".[8]

Track listing

12" single, UK (1992)

No.	Title	Length
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

CD single, Europe (1992)

No.	Title	Length
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

Chart (1992) Peak position Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[9] 30 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[10] 59 Europe (European Dance Radio)[11] 6 Germany (Official German Charts) 46 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 6 Netherlands (Single Top 100) 6 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[9] 40 UK Singles (Official Charts Company) 19 UK Music Week Dance Singles[12] 5 Chart performance Weekly charts Chart (1974) Peak position Canada RPM 13 Netherlands 19 US Billboard Hot 100 16 US Billboard R&B 2 US Cash Box Top 100[13] 10 Year-end charts Chart (1974) Rank Canada [14] 134 US Billboard Hot 100[15] 88 References "Top 100 1974-06-01". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved 2015-02-05. "Segment 24 | Bill Fitzhugh". billfitzhugh.com. Retrieved 2018-05-30. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopmusic/11238633/Stevie-Wonder-20-essential-songs.html?frame=3113160 "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. March 23, 1974. p. 62. Retrieved 2020-07-22. Edelstein, Paula. "Incognito – Best of Incognito". AllMusic. Retrieved 10 November 2020. Jeffries, David. "Incognito – Millennium Collection: 20th Century Masters". AllMusic. Retrieved 10 November 2020. "Dance" (PDF). Music Week. 23 May 1992. p. 8. Retrieved 2 October 2020. "DJ Directory: Out On Monday" (PDF). Record Mirror. 30 May 1992. p. 8. Retrieved 2 October 2020. "INCOGNITO - DON'T YOU WORRY 'BOUT A THING (SONG)". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 2020-09-30. "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. 1 August 1992. p. 33. Retrieved 30 September 2020. "EDR Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media. 18 July 1992. p. 16. Retrieved 30 September 2020. "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 1992-06-06. p. 18. Retrieved 2020-09-30. "Top 100 1974-06-01". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved 2015-02-05. Bac-lac.gc.ca "Top 100 Hits of 1974/Top 100 Songs of 1974". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-09. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics