He has also worked in collaboration with instrumental performers including pianist Chick Corea and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. This collaboration has established him as an ambassador of both the classical and jazz worlds. His recordings have sold over 20 million copies.
In addition to his vocal performing career, Mr. McFerrin was appointed in 1994 as creative chair of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.
He is the subject of a persistent yet wholly unfounded rumour that he has committed suicide. The rumor was so strong that the official Bobby McFerrin FAQ addressed the question.
Mr. McFerrin and his oft-maligned hit "Don't Worry, Be Happy" were parodied on "The Simpsons" as "I'm Worried - Need Money".
Angry
Bobby McFerrin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wrinks up my crown, fills me with shame
Heats up my blood, drives me insane
Knowin' my brothers they ain't all treat the same
I'm mad, I'm mad, I'm angry
I'm all wound up, I'm all tied down
Balled up inside & spinnin' all around
I hear you cryin' freedom but freedom is denied
I'm mad, I'm mad, I'm angry
Woe, woe
Hope is a mannequin, Hope is a mannequin
Love is a battlefield, Love is a battlefield
I ain't playin' those games, ain't playing those games
All prejudice is just inane
My brothers blood from the ground cries out
Let's stop this bloodstained freedom shout
I'm mad, I'm mad, I'm angry
The lyrics to Bobby McFerrin's song, Angry, depict a speaker who is deeply frustrated and outraged by the way his fellow human beings mistreat each other. The singer notes that certain situations, such as injustice and inequality, upset him and tarnish his sense of dignity. He acknowledges the anger that wells up within him, causing him to feel tightly wound up and simultaneously helpless, as if he is "all tied down" and "spinn[ing] all around". The singer is acutely aware that some people in society are not treated with the same respect and care as others, and this has made him incredibly angry.
The lines "Woe, woe / Hope is a mannequin, Hope is a mannequin / Love is a battlefield, Love is a battlefield" seem to suggest that the singer feels hopeless and defeated. He compares hope to a mannequin, which is a lifeless and fake version of a human being. Similarly, he compares love to a battlefield, which is a place where violence and destruction occur. These metaphors express the singer's feeling that the positive emotions and forces that could potentially help him combat injustice are, in fact, useless and futile. The song ends on a desperate note, with the singer pleading for an end to the carnage and violence that he sees around him.
Line by Line Meaning
What gets my goat, what gives me pain
I am frustrated and in agony about something
Wrinks up my crown, fills me with shame
It makes me feel unworthy and shameful
Heats up my blood, drives me insane
It makes me feel extremely angry and agitated
Knowin' my brothers they ain't all treat the same
I am aware that not all of my brothers are treated equally
I'm mad, I'm mad, I'm angry
My emotions are overwhelming me and I am very angry
I'm all wound up, I'm all tied down
I am feeling constricted and cannot unwind
Balled up inside & spinnin' all around
I feel like my emotions are being compressed and are overwhelming me
My pain is deep, my hurt is so wide
My emotional pain is intense and far-reaching
I hear you cryin' freedom but freedom is denied
I empathize with you, but I know that true freedom is not yet achieved
Woe, woe
I am expressing sorrow and grief
Hope is a mannequin, Hope is a mannequin
I do not find hope to be realistic or achievable
Love is a battlefield, Love is a battlefield
Love is not easy and can be very challenging
I ain't playin' those games, ain't playing those games
I refuse to engage in these unfair and biased practices
All prejudice is just inane
Prejudice is foolish and unreasonable
My brothers blood from the ground cries out
The blood of my brothers who were unjustly treated calls out for justice
Let's stop this bloodstained freedom shout
We need to put an end to this cycle of bloodshed and fight for true freedom
I'm mad, I'm mad, I'm angry
My emotions are overwhelming me and I am very angry
Contributed by Riley R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.