No Woman No Cry Meaning

Song Meaning

No Woman No cry is a love song written in a first person narrative from man who is offering hope and reassurance to his woman as they struggle to make ends meet while living in extreme poverty. The lyrics make specific references to Jamaican life and culture which make it much more than a love song to Jamaican audiences, but also a nostalgic anthem that many, if not most, Jamaicans can relate to.

Many close to Marley believe the song is based on Bob Marley's relationship with his wife, Rita. The song makes specific references to their life together in the impoverished neighborhood of Trench Town, in Kingston, Jamaica. Bob and Rita endured hard times in their early years together before Marley had any major success. Bob often traveled to make a living which caused Rita the pain of being without her husband.

Misinterpretation

Outside of Jamaica the meaning of "No Woman, No Cry" is often misunderstood to be about negative feelings towards women. Sometimes it is interpreted to be about avoiding relationships with women to avoid the eventual heartbreak they will cause or it is believed to be about moving on after the relationship has ended. However, these interpretations are completely wrong.

The song's title and chorus "no woman, no cry" is the main source of confusion. The phrase actually means "no woman, don't cry" in the English-based creole language that Marley spoke, known as Jamaican Patois. The title and main chorus, "No Woman, No Cry" is actually rendered "No, woman, nuh cry" in Jamaican Patois. The "nuh" is pronounced shorter and slightly different than the English word “no” and it is equivalent to the contraction "don't".

The lyrics of the verses also make it obvious that the song has nothing to do with hard feelings toward women, including several times when he refers to the woman as "little darlin'" and tells her "don't shed no tears". There is dialogue on many popular websites where people insist that the meaning of the song is about a man being better off without a woman. Not only is this completely false, but Marley never suggested this idea in any of his music.

Recently while researching the meaning of Buffalo soldier and No Woman, No Cry, I realized that most of Marley’s songs are misunderstood, not only because of the Jamaican Patois that Marley spoke, but due to a general ignorance of Pan-African concepts, the Atlantic slave trade, and the history of the Americas. Even established music critics and writers of books about Marley’s music are missing the point of many of his songs. Many do not even understand who the target audience of his music is Jamaicans and the descendants of the African slave trade.

Lyrical Analysis

The “government yards” mentioned in the lyrics are public housing projects and “Trench Town” is the neighborhood in Kingston, Jamaica, where Marley moved to with his mother when he was 12 years old.

“I remember when we used to sit, in the government yard in Trenchtown”

 In the “government yard” Marley lived in, all cooking was done outdoors on wood fires and there really was a Georgie, whose full name is George Headley Robinson. Cornmeal porridge is a traditional Jamaican dish and a staple for poor people there.

---

No Woman No Cry Lyrics

No woman, no cry
No woman, no cry
No woman, no cry
No woman, no cry 

I remember when we used to sit
In the government yard in Trenchtown
Oba, observing the hypocrites
As they would mingle with the good people we meet
Good friends we have had, oh good friends we've lost along the way (way)
In this bright future you can't forget your past
So dry your tears I say 

No woman, no cry
No woman, no cry
Little darling don't shed no tears
No woman, no cry 

Said, said, said I remember when we used to sit
In the government yard in Trenchtown
And then Georgie would make the fire light
As if it was log wood burning through the night
Then we would cook corn meal 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 

Everything's going to be alright
Everything's going to be alright
Everything's going to be alright
Everything's going to be alright
Everything's going to be alright
Everything's going to be alright
Everything's going to be alright
Everything's going to be alright 

So woman don't cry
No, woman
(No woman, no cry)
Oh my little sister, don't shed no tears
(No Woman, no cry)
Yeah 

I said I remember when we used to sit
In the government yard in Trenchtown
And then Georgie would make the fire light
As if it was log wood burning through the night
Then we would cook corn meal porridge
Of which I'll share with you
My feet is my only carriage, yah
So I've got to push on through
But while I'm gone 

No woman, no cry
I said: no woman, no cry
Ooh sister, don't shed no tears
No woman, no cry
Woman no cry, don't shed no tears
No woman no cry
Little darling, don't shed no tears
No woman no cry
Little sister, don't shed no tears
No woman, no cry