No Woman, No Cry

"No Woman, No Cry"
Single by Bob Marley & The Wailers
from the album Natty Dread
Released	1974
Genre	Reggae
Writer(s)	Credited to Vincent Ford
Bob Marley & The Wailers singles chronology
"Get Up, Stand Up" (1973) "No Woman, No Cry" (1974) "So Jah Seh" (1974)

"No Woman, No Cry" is a reggae song by Bob Marley & The Wailers. The song first became known in 1974 through the studio album Natty Dread. The live version from the 1975 album Live! is perhaps best known — it was this version which was released on the greatest hits compilation Legend. 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 recorded. This was the last time all three original Wailers (Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Neville "Bunny" Livingstone) recorded together in a studio. This version too is unreleased.

Writing credit

Though Bob Marley may have written the song,^[1][2] or may have written the melody,^[3] songwriter credits were given to "V. Ford". Vincent Ford was a friend of Marley's who ran a soup kitchen in Trenchtown, the ghetto of Kingston, Jamaica where Marley grew up. The royalty checks received by Ford ensured the survival and continual running of his soup kitchen.^[4] "No Woman, No Cry" (as recorded by Marley & the Wailers) was No. 37 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Chart performance

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

Lyrics

The title and main refrain, "No Woman, No Cry", is entreating a woman not to cry. It would be rendered "No, woman, nuh cry" in Jamaican Patois. The "nuh", which makes a shorter vowel sound for "no", is the equivalent of the contraction "don't".^[5]

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, rap
Label	Ruffhouse Records
Producer	Salaam Remi
Certification	Gold (RIAA)
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 (musician), 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.

Tracklisting

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 since been covered by such artists as Nina Simone, Gym Class Heroes, Londonbeat, Joe Dassin (known as "Si Tu Penses À Moi"), Murder One (often mistaken as a Sublime song), Blues Traveler (with Ziggy Marley), Cas Haley, O.A.R., Devon Allmans Honeytribe, Joan Baez, Xavier Rudd, Jimmy Buffett, Boney M., Jonathan Butler, Gilberto Gil (Daniela Mercury recorded this version at Balé Mulato - Ao Vivo),^{[citation needed]} The Fugees,Tim Barry, No Use for a Name, Hikaru Utada, The String Cheese Incident, NOFX (live, with El Hefe playing and singing alone), Tila Tequila, Pearl Jam, Andrés Calamaro, Hugh Masekela, Hedley, Jimmy Cliff, Pauline Black, Peter Rowan, John Mayer, Colbie Caillat, Bill Bourne, Matisyahu, Matt Maher, Graham Parker, Edwin McCain, Keller Williams, Eterna Inocencia, Linkin Park, as a duet by Faith Hill with Tim McGraw , Sean Kingston,^[6] and the Arabic singer Ali Bahar. The "G-punk" band Hed PE as of the year 2002, began covering the song at many of their live shows. The Ukrainian reggae band 5nizza covered the song at many of their live performances. German metal band J.B.O. parodied the song as "Ka Alde, ka G'schrei", and Linkin Park covered the song and played part of it during their 2010-2011 A Thousand Suns tour. It can be heard at the beginning of The Messanger in Tel Aviv, Israel.^[7] The ska punk band Spunge is the only band to ever have officially been given permission by the Marley family to change the lyrics, for their cover on the album Room For Abuse.^[8] The pop rap band Sweetbox used a part of the song for the chorus of their song "Everything's Gonna Be Alright". Naughty by Nature sampled Boney M's version of the song for their hit single "Everything's Gonna Be Alright." Lithuanian pop group ŽAS was also covered the song. The song "City of Love" by Yes includes "No woman, no cry" as a lyric. * American pianist Louis Durra, recorded an instrumental trio version on "Tangled Up In Blue EP" and "Arrogant Doormats" (2011). It was also covered by The Collective Sound in Bournemouth, England in 2011

Samples

Fergie used interpolations of the song in her song "Mary Jane Shoes" from the album The Dutchess.

See also

• No Woman No Cry - the 1998 painting by Chris Ofili

References

1. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7806778.stm No Woman No Cry 'songwriter' dies, BBC (2009-01-01)
2. ^ "In pictures: The legacy of Bob Marley". BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/07/south_asia_the_legacy_of_bob_marley/html/9.stm. Retrieved 2009-01-01. 
3. ^ Humphries, Patrick (2003). "No Woman No Cry". BBC Radio 2. BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/soldonsong/songlibrary/indepth/nowomannocry.shtml. Retrieved 2009-01-01. 
4. ^ No Woman, No Cry : Rolling Stone
5. ^ Dawes, Kwame. Bob Marley: Lyrical Genius. London: Sanctuary, 2002. ISBN 1-86074-433-8. Pg. 119
6. ^ The Today Show, July 2007
7. ^ Linkin Park at Tel Aviv 11-15-10
8. ^ BBC - Hereford and Worcester Music, Clubs and Gigs - Mick Jones

External links

• Vincent Ford at the Internet Movie Database
• 60 No Woman, No Cry covers
• Guitar chords for No Woman No Cry