[.ca] Simple Pleasures

Simple Pleasures Are The Best.:
"Simple Pleasures" is singer Bobby McFerrin's popular 1988 album that made him a superstar. Although the album is best known for its Number One singalong hit "Don't Worry, be Happy", there are plenty of other enjoyable songs on this album including the funky "All I Want" and "Come To Me", the jolly doo-wop of the title track and the aggressive "Drive". In addition to these McFerrin originals, Bobby offers amazing cover versions of CCR's "Suzie Q", The Beatles "Drive My Car" and The Rascals "Good Lovin'". The two best covers are saved for last as the album closes with an excellent rendition of The Band of Gypsies classic "Them Changes" and a mouthdropping version of Cream's "Sunshine Of Your Love" (a big highlight in my opinion). This is an excellent album from beginning to end and showcases Bobby McFerrin's talents at their finest. Did I mention that all of the above music was performed with vocals only? This makes listening to "Simple Pleasures" all the more intriguing. Great stuff!!!

Revolutionally unique and enjoyabe !!:
When I heard this ,I was totally electrified by his unique voice.This real genius can expand the vocal expression into another dimension.Moreover his performance includes some kind of humorous tastes.This album is not only easy to approach but also an extraordinary instrumentalized vocal album.Well-balanced,challenging ear candy for all the JAZZ VOCAL FANS.

Incredible vocal talent:
Bobby McFerrin has an unbelievable voice, and Simple Pleasures never ceases to amaze me. True, "Don't Worry Be Happy" has not aged very well, but it's a pleasant song, to say the least. The best songs tend to be the ones where Bobby shows of his vocal abilities: the cover of "Sunshine of Your Love" is amazing, and "Drive," while seemingly simple, is still equally great. The cover of the Beatles' "Drive My Car" is disposable, but the other covers ("Suzie Q," "Them Changes") are nice. This is definitely a good album for anyone to have.

Here's an album that he wrote, hope U like it song for song:
A cacophony of multilayered vocals as bass, clapping, funky beat, chest-tapping, soaring falsetto vocals, those are some adjectives that describe Bobby McFerrin, whose major contributions other than this album was the theme to the Cosby Show for at least one season. The songs on Simple Pleasures are pleasant, and for the cover songs, innovative interpretations. Despite being known as a jazz musician, I'm at a loss as what to file this experimental collection, as it defies classification. Here's the song that I wrote... I mean, that won the Grammy for Record of the Year in 1988. I heard that McFerrin wasn't too chuffed about Bush Sr. using it on his campaign. Maybe he should've let Dukakis use it. Utilizing a reggae sound and spoken rap and monologue, "Don't Worry Be Happy" advises people to do just that: "in every life we have some trouble/but when you worry you make it double." He predicts that things will get better, so if you "ain't got no cash, ain't got no style, ain't got a gal to make you smile", well... you know what to do. Some bluesy inflections and doo-wop come in the funk-driven beat-box melody of "All I Want". In his cover of the Beatles' "Drive My Car", his pulsing noodling vocal bass is prominent, as is his approximation of the falsetto harmonies the Fabs did. A fun interpretation. Some doo-wop influences come in on the title track, where he does a singsong commentary on a day in his life, such as getting up early in the morning, prepping his kids for school,... and he says that the simple pleasures are the things that make him happy. His cover of the Rascals' "Good Lovin'" is engaging and comical when he does the falsetto chorus, set to his usual bass and chest tapping. With the falsettos of "Come To Me", this sounds like something Prince could've done in his Controversy or self-titled era, provided he added instruments to it. Next cover is "Suzie Q", which Creedence Clearwater Revival and the Rolling Stones covered. His vocal interpretations of the opening bluesy guitar is amusing. "Drive" is an exercise in early rock fused with trad. blues. He does a really funky and wailing rendition of Buddy Miles' "Them Changes" and Cream's "Sunshine Of Your Love", where his vocals resemble Stevie Wonder and his interpretation of Clapton's heavy droning guitar is innovative to say the least. One of the most unique and interesting albums to come out of the 80's.

A gateway into vocal paradise:
This is such a sweet album! Each track has a polished sound with incredible Bobby McFerrin style. Tracks like "Drive" show a certain darkness with deep melodic depth. In contrast to "Don't worry be happy" this album is dynamic. Bobby's bass-lines are a meal in themselves; next to the album's gospel tints the overall experience is refreshing. Incredible gift--and "top-shelf" vocal and overall production quality for your own collection. A must have.

• Don't Worry, Be Happy
• All I Want
• Drive My Car
• Simple Pleasures
• Good Lovin'
• Come to Me
• Susie-Q
• Drive
• Them Changes
• Sunshine of Your Love