Stevie Wonder, Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing | Throwback Vibez

In the second edition of Throwback Vibez (2026), we recollect and reflect on “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing” by Stevie Wonder.

Can you feel those vibes, those surefire Throwback Vibez?! Throwback Vibez is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past. Ah, there is nothing like a good oldie to get you fired up! The records featured in this column feature gems from the 20^th century, with a few exceptions. All genres of music are welcome. In the second edition of Throwback Vibez (2026), we recollect and reflect on “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing” performed by Stevie Wonder.  

Stevie Wonder (b. 1950) recorded seemingly endless hits during his career. “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing”, the eighth track from his beloved, Grammy-winning album, Innervisions, marks another bright spot for the highly decorated, once-in-a-lifetime musician. “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing” earned Wonder another hit on the pop charts. It peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1974.

“Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing” commences with an intriguing, colorful introduction that includes Spanish.  Stevie Wonder brings plenty of personality to this skit alone, even with questionable Spanish (“Todo ‘stá bien chévere”[Everything is very cool] appears at various times). The Spanish connects with the Latin-tinged vibes of the song, which include the piano riff and groove of the song. Vocally, Wonder sounds top-notch as always. He is buttery smooth and soulful. His power shines when he ascends into this awe-inspiring upper register. The melodies are incredibly tuneful, featuring equally memorable lyrics. “Everybody’s got a thing / But some don’t know how to handle it,” he sings in the first verse, and adds, “Always reaching out in vain / Just taking the things not worth having.” In the second verse, he advises, “But just don’t you feel too bad / When you get fooled by smiling faces.” Word. The chorus, excerpted earlier, is the crème de la crème. The musical accompaniment is marvelous, thanks to the Latin influence. Notably, Wonder plays most of the instruments, including piano, synthesizer, and drums. He gets some assistance with the additional percussion. “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing” is one of the many epic moments from Innervisions, and it’s not even the most renowned song! A masterclass on instrumental and vocal performance, songwriting, and production, this joint is a surefire masterpiece.

  

Stevie Wonder » Innervisions » Motown » 1973

Stevie Wonder, Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing: Throwback Vibez No. 2 (2026) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Motown; Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Gordon Johnson, schubinger from Pixabay]

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