Meher Baba: The inspiration behind one of the most loved and hated songs in history
In the world of music, there are no rules for where inspiration is supposed to come from. People can write a great song if they have the right idea, and even if it’s as simple as making a bowl of cereal in the morning, any writer can churn out a tune talking about the pleasures of life. When rock and roll started moving into the ‘Summer of Love’, things started to get a bit more spiritual, and Meher Baba managed to have a far greater impact on both sides of everyone’s musical taste.
Then again, the wise guru was probably not looking to be remembered in a hit song. Many of his teachings were about trying to find inner peace, and his philosophies were based on the concept of being able to discover one’s true self. The Beatles may have found their muse in the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi from around the same time, but Meher Baba had one student in The Who’s Pete Townshend.
Townshend always knew that there was more to music than simple melodies, and when he started incorporating the philosophy he learned into tunes like ‘Baba O’Riley’, he had hit upon one of the most invigorating rock songs of all time. Every single person who lived through the 1970s will probably be able to tell you where they were the first time they heard those opening chords of the tune, but even if the song was meant to connect to a greater narrative on Lifehouse, it’s easy to parse out what Townshend was getting at spiritually.
His aborted rock opera already had the idea of finding the meaning of life through a musical note, and hearing him write about travelling to far-away lands isn’t that far off from someone making a pilgrimage to discover who they truly are. From the way that Townshend sings the bridge to Roger Daltrey’s howls, there’s a fearless determination in every word of the tune, but that sense of not worrying did come back to bite pop music in the ass.
You see, another Meher Baba enthusiast was a young Bobby McFerrin, who was quickly becoming one of the most impressive a cappella singers of his generation. When looking at an image of Meher Baba with the tagline ‘Don’t Worry. Be Happy’, though, the world was gifted the melody that has been revered for generations. While the song itself is innocent enough, it’s easy to see why people hate it as well.
The melody is catchy to the point of annoyance, and there’s probably a layer of hell where it plays on repeat, but the message is at least solid, right? Well, yes and no. Although McFerrin goes through many scenarios where we shouldn’t worry about our problems, the song has become a complete buzzkill for anyone facing hard times, almost like the music is mocking them for some reason.
But while both songs have taken on two completely different reputations in rock and roll, what does that mean for Meher Baba’s teachings? Surely, both songs can’t have the same approach to philosophy and have two completely outcomes, but in this case, it’s all in the delivery. Regardless of how McFerrin intended it, there’s a certain smarminess radiating off of his tune in many respects, whereas Townshend is nothing but earnest with every single chord he hits.
It didn’t take long for McFerrin to get the joke of his tune, either, admitting that he hadn’t played it in years. But in terms of Meher Baba’s nuggets of wisdom, though, there’s still merit to both tracks if you’re willing to look for it. Most people would gladly spend 20 minutes in a cage with a rabid tiger than listen to McFerrin’s pop delight again, but knowing when to stop worrying is as essential a part of life as Townshend’s look at teenage angst.
