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Inspired by a quote attributed to the eastern mystic Meyer Baba, Bobby McFerrin created this a cappella masterpiece. And, although Michael Musto of the Village Voice has proclaimed it the “worst song of all time”, and Blender Magazine snarked “it’s difficult to think of a song more likely to plunge you into suicidal despondency,” this irrepressible ditty stands as the cornerstone of a singular musical career, festooned with awards and encomiums, including a Grammy for Lifetime achievement in 2022. It’s not so much the possibly insipid - (depending on your level of cynicism) - lyrics, it’s the purity and perfection of Bobby’s voice alone, albeit overdubbed, that communicates its message of joy. The son of an opera singer and a voice teacher, Mr. McFerrin possesses a preternatural perfection of pitch and tone that has enabled him, among many other extraordinary feats, to trade horn parts with the Marsalis brothers, or deliver a flawless William Tell Overture solo.As a philosopher and exponent of music’s healing