Bobby McFerrin has SKILLS!

January 19, 2008

Bobby McFerrin - Circle Songs That go way, way beyond “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” Here are some songs to vibe to.

Back in the days when I was a teenager
Before I had status and before I had a pager
You could find the Abstract listening to hip hop
My pops used to say, it reminded him of be-bop
I said, well daddy don’t you know that things go in cycles…

Those are the classic opening lines to The Low End Theory, one of my All-Time favorite albums. In anticipation of my upcoming Native Tongues mix (A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Jungle Brothers, etc.), I’m going to hit you with some cyclical songs by Bobby McFerrin.

(I guess the timing of this is right, considering Chris Webber just came full circle with the Warriors, an event that is making me feel like I’m 13 again).

I didn’t fully realize McFerrin’s skills until I took a “Music of the Beatles” class in college. (YES, I took a Beatles class, and NO it wasn’t as easy as the Walt Disney class). One day, the professor played us Bobby Mac’s version of the Beatles’ classic “From Me to You.” It was nothing short of impressive.

Bobby McFerrin - From Me to You

Now here are 2 cuts off of his album 1997 album Circlesongs. Bobby gets a lot of help on this album from the 11 other R&B, gospel, pop, jazz, opera, and classical vocalists in his “Voicestra.” The result is phenomenal.

The songs are like mantras, going in circles with no obvious ending. Indeed, if someone put the album on repeat you probably wouldn’t notice. The songs don’t even have titles, which is fitting because this music is impossible to describe anyway! Relax and get lost in these songs…

Bobby McFerrin - Circle Song 5

I guarantee you A Tribe Called Quest would vibe off Song 6!

Bobby McFerrin - Circle Song 6

Look who joins Bobby for this song. Robert McFerrin Sr., the first African-American male to sing at the New York Metropolitan Opera and Bobby Mac’s father. His dad’s got a killer voice and it’s great to hear the two of them together.

Bobby McFerrin - Discipline feat. Robert McFerrin Sr.