NO WOMAN NO CRY by Bob Marley

Bob Marley

No Woman No Cry

The Story of... 'No Woman No Cry' by Bob Marley

"No Woman, No Cry" is a reggae song by Bob Marley and the Wailers. The song was recorded in 1974 and released on the studio album Natty Dread. This studio version used a drum machine. 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. The live version of the song ranked No. 37 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

“No woman, don’t cry” is what Bob Marley really means in this classic hit. It’s about Marley’s upbriging, his stories in his hometown (Trench Town), his lyrics are both political and personal, mentioning the “government and the hypocrites which he really hated,” as well as talking to a woman who is crying and telling her not to cry and to forget the past. Marley is reminding the woman of the good memories, and the fact that “everything’s gonna be alright”. The line of the song is “No, Woman, Nuh cry.” Nuh is Jamaican for “don’t,” the meaning of the lyric is No, Woman, don’t cry.

Bob reminisces about the simple pleasures that despite the abject poverty of Trench Town bring back fond memories. Bob also talks about himself being a poor man, he doesn’t have a car or money for a taxi or bus fare (My feet is my only carriage, So I’ve got to push on through…). Bass player of the Wailers, Aston “Family Man” Barrett, said in 2012: “The song is about the strength in the mama of course, strength in the ladies. And we love a woman with a backbone. Something like a wishbone! They have to be like a she lion! Woman strong, you know, not depending on the man. Of course the man is there to help you, then for every successful man, there is a good woman.”

Although Bob Marley is widely believed to have written the song (the lyrics are highly personalised and mention Georgie making cornmeal porridge, Marley's favourite dish), or at least the melody, a songwriter credit was 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 his efforts would continue.

The song became a highlight of Marley’s concerts as the crowd always joined in; it is very easy to sing along to. “No Woman, No Cry” was certified Gold in Italy and Silver in the UK. It was covered by over 50 known artists and many more worldwide. The classic hit peaked at number 8 in both the US and UK.

About BOb Marley

Robert Nesta Marley, (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican singer, songwriter, and musician. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, his musical career was marked by fusing elements of reggae, ska, and rocksteady, as well as his distinctive vocal and songwriting style. Marley's contributions to music increased the visibility of Jamaican music worldwide, and made him a global figure in popular culture for over a decade. He infused his music with a sense of spirituality. He is also considered a global symbol of Jamaican music and culture and identity, and was controversial in his outspoken support for the legalization of marijuana, while he also advocated for Pan-Africanism.

Reggae is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica. While sometimes used in a broad sense to refer to most types of popular Jamaican dance music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that was strongly influenced by a fusion of African rhythmic elements and European elements as well as American jazz and rhythm and blues.Reggae usually relates news, social gossip, and political commentary. The immediate origins of reggae were in ska* and rocksteady**.

*Ska is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae.

**Rocksteady is a music genre that originated in Jamaica around 1966.A successor of ska and a precursor to reggae

Born in British Jamaica, Marley began his professional musical career in 1963, after forming Bob Marley and the Wailers. The group released its debut studio album The Wailing Wailers in 1965, which contained the single "One Love/People Get Ready"; the song was popular worldwide, and established the group as a rising figure in reggae.

The Wailers subsequently released eleven further studio albums; while initially employing louder instrumentation and singing, the group began engaging in rhythmic-based song construction in the late 1960s and early 1970s.The group attained international success after the release of the albums "Catch a Fire" and "Burnin' "(both 1973), Following the disbandment of the Wailers a year later, Marley went on to release his solo material under the band's name.

In 1977, Marley was diagnosed with a melanoma; he died as a result of the illness in 1981. His fans around the world expressed their grief, and he received a state funeral in Jamaica. The greatest hits album Legend was released in 1984, and became the best-selling reggae album of all time. Marley also ranks as one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with estimated sales of more than 75 million records worldwide. He was posthumously honored by Jamaica soon after his death with a designated Order of Merit by his nation. In 1994, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Rolling Stone ranked him No. 11 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

Marley, an artist and an activist

Bob Marley promoted peace and equality around the world. In 1976 he was scheduled to sing following a presidential candidate's electioon rally. That candidate wasn't a friend of the US government. A loto of people believe the US gonìvernment tried to have Marley assssinated because he had the power to influence voters. Gunmen broke into his house and shot him twice but he survived and sang at the rally.Because his peace efforts, he received the Peace Medal of the Third World Nations from the United Nations.

A lot of Marley's songs are about politics, religion but also freedom, equality and peace and love for all. For example, his "Redempion Song" makes the argument that slavery was never truly abolished and it's a powerful piece of both music and poetry. In his song "War" he gives a message against racism, classism, and poverty. Bob Marley is a legend in the music industry and will always be remembered for his contribution to "reggae music".

“Don’t trust people whose feelings change with time. Trust people whose feelings remain the same, even when the time changes.”

Bob Marley Quotes

“Until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned, everywhere is war. And until there are no longer first-class and second-class citizens of any nation, until the colour of a man's skin is of no more significance than the colour of his eyes. And until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race, there is war. And until that day, the dream of lasting peace, world citizenship, rule of international morality, will remain but a fleeting illusion to be pursued, but never attained... now everywhere is war.”

“In this great future, you can’t forget your past.”

“Love the life you live, live the life you love.”

“Don't give up the fight, Stand up for your rights.”

“Better to die fighting for freedom than be a prisoner all the days of your life.”

“Things will be OK in the end. If it's not OK, it's not the end.”

“You just can't live that negative way. You know what I mean. Make way for the positive day. Cause it's a new day...”

"Some people feel the rain, others just get wet"

“One good thing about music—when it hits you, you feel no pain.”

“The day you stop racing is the day you win the race.”

“Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our minds”

“If puss and dog can get together, why can’t we love one another?”

Bob Marley Quotes

The last but not the least...

Me only have one ambition, y'know. I only have one thing I really like to see happen. I'd like to see mankind live together - black, white, Chinese, everyone - that's all.

he wrote about peace, love and equality. teens only know him for smoking weed.

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