Do I Worry?

Do I Worry? is a song written by Bobby Worth and Stanley Cowan in 1940^[1][2] that was recorded by The Ink Spots, whose recording reached #8 on the U.S. Pop charts.^[3][4]

“Do I Worry?” uses humour and sarcasm to mask emotional vulnerability. The narrator presents a detached, almost dismissive attitude towards their partner's infidelity, repeatedly insisting that they do not care. The song draws on 1940s wit and understatement, using phrases such as not caring “a bag of beans” and references to the “Iceman” to downplay the seriousness of the situation.^[5]

As the song develops, this composed exterior begins to break down. The humour feels increasingly forced, and it becomes clear that the narrator is not indifferent, but deeply affected. What initially appears to be confidence is revealed as denial, with the song ultimately expressing anxiety and heartbreak beneath the surface.^[6]

The song is featured in the 1942 Abbott and Costello film, Pardon My Sarong. In this film, the Ink Spots play singing waiters in a nightclub. They sing the ballad "Do I Worry?" and the swing song "Shout Brother Shout".^[7]

The song has featured in the films, Raging Bull,^[8] The Aviator,^[9] The Rover,^[10] and Queer.^[11]

The archived Vocal Group Hall of Fame featured Do I Worry? as one of five songs by The Ink Spots to be displayed on their profile.^[12]