No Woman, No Cry

This article is about the Bob Marley & Faliyo song. For the 1998 painting by Chris Ofili, see No Woman No Cry (painting).
"No Woman, No Cry"
Single by Bob Marley and the Wailers
from the album Live!
Released 1975
Recorded 1975
Genre Reggae
Length 7:12
Label Island
Writer(s) Vincent Ford
Bob Marley (uncredited)
Bob Marley and the Wailers singles chronology
"So Jah Seh"
(1974)		 "No Woman, No Cry"
(1975)		 "Jah Live"
(1976)

"No Woman, No Cry" is a reggae song by Bob Marley and the Wailers. The song first became known in 1974 through the studio album Natty Dread. The live version from the 1975 album Live! was released as a single and is the best known version — it was included on the greatest hits compilation Legend and was recorded at the Lyceum Theatre in London on July 19, 1975 as part of his Natty Dread Tour.

The live version of the song ranked No. 37 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Writing credit

Though Bob Marley may have written the song,[1][2] or at least the melody,[3] songwriter credits were given to Vincent Ford, a friend of Marley's who ran a soup kitchen in Trenchtown, the ghetto of Kingston, Jamaica where Marley grew up. The royalty payments received by Ford ensured the survival and continual running of his soup kitchen.[4]

Early versions

The original demo version of the song which is unreleased was a Gospel version. This version had only the piano riff as the main instrument and was recorded in London for Island Records in 1973 with Peter Tosh and some unknown female backing singers. At the same time of this recording, the demo of the Island version of "Lively up Yourself" was also recorded. This was the last time all three original Wailers (Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Neville "Bunny" Livingston - also known as Bunny Wailer) recorded together in a studio. These versions remain unreleased.

1974 studio recording

On Natty Dread, Jean Roussel provided the arrangement and Hammond organ parts for this recording.

Charts and certifications

Peak positions

Chart (1975) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart 22
Dutch Top 40 23
New Zealand Singles Chart 30
Chart (1981) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart 8

Certifications

Region Certification
Italy (FIMI)[5] Gold
United Kingdom (BPI)[6] Silver

Lyrics

The title and main refrain, "No Woman, No Cry" is rendered "No, woman, nuh cry" in Jamaican Patois. The "nuh" is pronounced with a short schwa vowel (a "mumbled" vowel, often represented as "uh" in spelling) and represents a clitic ("weakened") form of "no". It is the equivalent to the contraction "don't". The song is about growing up in the ghetto and persuading a woman that things will get better, entreating her not to cry.[7]

The Fugees version

"No Woman, No Cry"
Single by Fugees
from the album The Score
Released 1996
Format CD single
Recorded 1995
Genre Hip hop, reggae fusion
Label Ruffhouse Records
Producer(s) Salaam Remi
Fugees singles chronology
"Ready or Not"
(1996)		 "No Woman, No Cry"
(1996)		 "Rumble in the Jungle"
(1997)

"No Woman, No Cry" is the fourth single from the Fugees' second studio album, The Score. The song was produced by Salaam Remi. The Fugees' version of the track features Wyclef Jean on lead vocals. An official remix of the track, featuring Stephen Marley, was included on the group's third release, Bootleg Versions. Wyclef Jean recorded a solo version of the track for his Greatest Hits compilation in 2003.

Track listing

UK CD1
  1. "No Woman, No Cry" (LP version) - 4:03
  2. "No Woman, No Cry" (Remix) - 3:55
  3. "No Woman, No Cry" (Remix instrumental) - 3:55
  4. "Killing Me Softly" (Live) - 4:25
UK CD2
  1. "Don't Cry, Dry Your Eyes" - 5:03
  2. "Don't Cry, Dry Your Eyes" (Instrumental) - 5:03
  3. "No Woman, No Cry" (LP version) - 4:03
  4. "A Change Is Gonna Come" (Live) - 6:04

Other cover versions

The song has been covered by numerous other artists including:

Art Ensemble Of Chicago (instrumental version)

With other lyrics/in other languages

Partial use, parodies and sampling

References

  1. ↑ "Entertainment | No Woman No Cry 'songwriter' dies". BBC News. 2009-01-01. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
  2. ↑ "In pictures: The legacy of Bob Marley". BBC. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
  3. ↑ Humphries, Patrick (2003). "No Woman No Cry". BBC Radio 2. BBC. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
  4. ↑ "Bob Marley, 'No Woman, No Cry' | 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. 2011-04-07. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
  5. ↑ "Italian single certifications – Bob Marley & The Wailers – No Woman No Cry" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved August 29, 2014. Select Online in the field Sezione. Enter Bob Marley & The Wailers in the field Filtra. The certification will load automatically
  6. ↑ "British single certifications – Bob Marley & The Wailers – No Woman No Cry". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 29, 2014. Enter No Woman No Cry in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
  7. ↑ Dawes, Kwame. Bob Marley: Lyrical Genius. London: Sanctuary, 2002. ISBN 1-86074-433-8. Pg. 119
  8. ↑ "Graham Parker - No Woman, No Cry". YouTube. 2008-08-09. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
  9. ↑ "Linkin Park- The Messenger (with 'No Woman No Cry')- Tel Aviv, Israel". YouTube. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
  10. ↑ The Today Show, July 2007
  11. ↑ Nelson, Trevor. "Wizkid – Joy / No Woman No Cry (Bob Marley Cover) in the 1Xtra Live Lounge (Lagos, Nigeria)". BBC Radio 1Xtra. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  12. ↑ "Joe Dassin - Si tu pense a moi.". YouTube. 2009-05-31. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
  13. ↑ "Joe Dassin - Si Tu Penses A Moi / Sorry (Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
  14. ↑ "Daniela Mercury". Daniela Mercury. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
  15. ↑ "Hereford & Worcester". BBC News. 2016-10-05. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
  16. ↑ "Murder 1 (2) - American Junkie (CD, Album)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
  17. ↑ "No Woman, No Drive". YouTube. 2013-10-26. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
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