Karine Polwart (born 1971) is a Scottish singer-songwriter. She writes and … Read Full Bio ↴Karine Polwart (born 1971) is a Scottish singer-songwriter. She writes and performs music with a strong folk and roots feel, and her songs cover a wide area, from alcoholism to genocide.

Despite winning the Horizon Award for Best Newcomer at the BBC Folk Awards 2005, Karine Polwart is no newcomer to the folk world, having previously been a member of Malinky and Battlefield Band. Her solo career is new, and it is for this that she has been particularly recognised. Her songs cover a variety of topics, and although she has claimed at live performances that they are all quite depressing, many have an uplifting aspect. This is particularly notable in "The Sun's Comin' Over The Hill" (which won Best Original Song at the BBC Folk Awards 2005) which tells the story of woman who reacts to the death of her partner through a period of depression, drink and drugs, but has a more optimistic chorus, with the narrator foreseeing an end to this period. There are exceptions to this: "Waterlily" — the tale of a man whose wife is killed during the war in Yugoslavia — offers no such comfort. "Only One Way", on the other hand, is an upbeat song with a strong political theme and some biting humour.

Don't Worry
Karine Polwart Lyrics

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Don′t worry
Worrying won't pay the bills
I would trade in the view from this mountainside
For some tiny little molehills

When the soldier comes back
With the weight of the world in his little knapsack
He′s gonna need a hand to hold

To ease out the thorns from the heart of his soul
And roll away the stone

Don't worry
Worrying won't make it all stop
I would trade in the swell of the ocean
For one tiny little rain drop

When the soldier comes back
With the weight of the world in his little knapsack
He′s gonna need a hand to hold
To ease out the thorns from the heart of his soul
And roll away the stone
I will roll away the stone
I will roll away the stone
And set you free

Don′t worry
Worrying won't pay the bills (No)
I would trade in the view from this mountainside
For some tiny little molehills

When the soldier comes back
With the weight of the world in his little knapsack
He′s gonna need a hand to hold
To ease out the thorns from the heart of his soul
And roll away the stone
I will roll away the stone

I will roll away the stone
And set you free

Overall Meaning

The song 'Don't Worry' by Karine Polwart is a message of hope and encouragement to those who are struggling. The song advises to not worry because it won't solve any problems. Trading in the view from a mountain for a small, insignificant change is representation of the idea that sometimes the things we yearn for may not be the ones that make us happy, and sometimes we just need a small change to make our lives better. The soldier coming back with the weight of the world on his shoulders represents the struggles of war and the trauma that soldiers face. The lyric "he's gonna need a hand to hold" refers to the need for support and empathy for those who have gone through tough times. "To ease out the thorns from the heart of his soul and roll away the stone" refers to the need for healing and the destruction of barriers, which can be a process that is hard to do alone.

Line by Line Meaning

Don't worry
Stop worrying about your problems.

Worrying won't pay the bills
Worrying is not a solution to financial problems.

I would trade in the view from this mountainside For some tiny little molehills
Sometimes having less problems is better than having a grand view.

When the soldier comes back With the weight of the world in his little knapsack He's gonna need a hand to hold To ease out the thorns from the heart of his soul And roll away the stone
When someone returns from a traumatic experience, they will need help recovering from it.

Don't worry
Stop worrying about your problems.

Worrying won't make it all stop
Worrying won't stop all the problems in life.

I would trade in the swell of the ocean For one tiny little rain drop
Sometimes a small drop of happiness is better than a vast amount of sadness.

I will roll away the stone And set you free
I will help you overcome your burdens and set you free from them.

Don't worry
Stop worrying about your problems.

Worrying won't pay the bills (No)
Worrying is not a solution to financial problems.

I would trade in the view from this mountainside For some tiny little molehills
Sometimes having less problems is better than having a grand view.

I will roll away the stone And set you free
I will help you overcome your burdens and set you free from them.

Writer(s): Karine Anne Polwart

Contributed by Arianna S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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