No Woman No Cry

For a long time I thought Bob was saying that if you don't have a woman you have nothing to be sad about (no woman = no cry), but after reading the lyrics its obvious that he is talking to his girlfriend (or another girl) who is crying and he is telling her not to cry, and telling her to forget the past, and he reminds her of the good memories, and the fact that everything's gonna be alright. This song is great.

this song's NOT about the loss of someone, 'no woman no cry' is patwa, it translates to 'don't cry', and he's directing it to a woman. simple! 'chuxen' is right it is about roots, and in true Bob Marley fashion, is very political. also some of these lyrics are wrong.

'SAID, I remember when we used to sit' - for the first line 'as they'd mingle with the good people we'd MEET' - for the fourth 'In this bright future, you CAN'T forget your past' - for the seventh

but that's just me being pedantic

'as it was, LOGWOOD burning through the night then we would cook CORNMEAL porridge' - old Jamaican specialty

Bob Marley is singing to his best friend, the woman he loves. He is singing about all the good and bad times he has had with her. He is asking her to be strong and not to cry, to keep her head up, for everything's gonna be alright.

That is all some women need to hear from the man that they love and that he loves her. Great song. :)

To me this song really sums up the bob mood. I pretty much love every song by bob, but the line, "ev'rythings gonna be alright" totally captures what i feel when i listen to any bob track. When things aren't always going right, these words remind me that life will go on, they remind me to take a step back and look at the problem is context. One love

Here are the correct lyrics. Singalong mon!

No, woman, no cry; No, woman, no cry; No, woman, no cry; No, woman, no cry.

Said - said - said: I remember when we used to sit In the government yard in Trenchtown, Oba - obaserving the 'ypocrites As they would mingle with the good people we meet. Good friends we have, oh, good friends we've lost Along the way. In this great future, you can't forget your past; So dry your tears, I seh.

No, woman, no cry; No, woman, no cry. 'Ere, little darlin', don't shed no tears: No, woman, no cry.

Said - said - said: I remember when-a we used to sit In the government yard in Trenchtown. And then Georgie would make the fire lights, As it was logwood burnin' through the nights. Then we would cook cornmeal porridge, Of which I'll share with you; My feet is my only carriage, So I've got to push on through. But while I'm gone, I mean: Everything's gonna be all right! Everything's gonna be all right! Everything's gonna be all right! Everything's gonna be all right! I said, everything's gonna be all right-a! Everything's gonna be all right! Everything's gonna be all right, now! Everything's gonna be all right!

So, woman, no cry; No - no, woman - woman, no cry. Woman, little sister, don't shed no tears; No, woman, no cry.

[Guitar solo]

I remember when we used to sit In the government yard in Trenchtown. And then Georgie would make the fire lights, As it was logwood burnin' through the nights. Then we would cook cornmeal porridge, Of which I'll share with you; My feet is my only carriage, So I've got to push on through. But while I'm gone:

No, woman, no cry; No, woman, no cry. Woman, little darlin', say don't shed no tears; No, woman, no cry.

Eh! (Little darlin', don't shed no tears! No, woman, no cry. Little sister, don't shed no tears! No, woman, no cry.)

i think its about life in Trenchtown, Jamaica.. the ghetto of kingston... i think its about only having love in this horrible place but everythings going to be alright as long as you live for now and stay true and try not to worry about government issues and bullshit that doesnt matter as much after your life is over but hey, i could be wrong

This song is all about roots. I did my senior college thesis on Bob Marley and his political influence on the world and did some research into this song. And according to Bob, this song is about remembering where he is from after the fame and touring ignite the reggae boom around the world. He doesn't let that take away from sitting around the fire in Trenchtown with his old pals (Georgie) and never becoming too big for his roots. It's about being away from his home while he is touring and returning to his wife Rita and the rest of his family. It is about friendships and bonding. Bob tells a story in one of his books (I forget which one off hand) where he returns to Jamaica from his first big tour across America and takes out his acoustic guitar while him and some friends were sitting around a fire. He starts playing No Woman No Cry for the first time and his best friend Georgie broke down and started crying knowing how special Bob was and how much that song meant. Very powerful song indeed, and Bob was definitely a loyal friend, husband and familyman.

1st of all he say's log wood, not love wood. He's talking about how Georgie would keep a fire lit as Bob and his friends played music till the early hours of the morining. 2nd of all it's corn meal porridge not wholemeal porridge. And finally Bob didn't even write the song, his childhood brethren Vincet Ford AKA Tarter wrote the song for Bob.

To me , this song is about his cancer. My theory could be completely wrong- Im not even sure he knew he had cancer when he wrote this song, but afterall it is just a theory.

'My feet is my only carriage so I've got to push on through but while I'm gone (I mean it) ev'rything's gonna be allright'

That verse explains it really! He has to push on through but is telling his lover not to cry while he is gone... It sounds like he is going through his happy memories, remembering what a good life he has had. Hmm, reading through what i have wrote it seems i haven't explained it too well! I think you'll understand what i mean. Just an opinion.