Which 1988 song by Bobby McFerrin became a US one-hit wonder with its advice to stay cheerful?

Bobby McFerrin’s 1988 song “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” became a US one-hit wonder and topped the Billboard Hot 100.

McFerrin recorded the song entirely with his voice and body, creating vocal parts that imitate instruments. The relaxed, optimistic lyrics and reggae-influenced arrangement helped it become one of the best-known a cappella-influenced pop hits of the late 1980s.

The song was inspired partly by a phrase associated with Indian mystic Meher Baba, whose “Don’t worry, be happy” slogan appeared in artwork and posters. McFerrin encountered the phrase in California and used it as the foundation for the song.

It became the first a cappella song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The accompanying video featured McFerrin alongside Robin Williams and Bill Irwin. McFerrin had other musical work, including jazz and vocal arrangements, but this remained his only US Top 40 hit.