The Story of Bob Marley's 'No Woman No Cry'

Bob Marley wrote the song in 1975.

However writing credits were given to a man named Vincent Ford.

Vincent Ford was a friend of Marley's who ran a soup kitchen in Trenchtown, the ghetto area of Kingston, Jamaica, where Marley grew up.

Bob Marley insisted that Vincent Ford be credited for writing the song so that all royalty payments went to Ford  - who would use the money to continue feeding the poor in the ghettos of Jamaica, which he did.

What is the song about?

The title alludes to telling a woman not to cry.

Bob Marley and the Wailers.

Wailers bassist Aston 'Family Man': 

"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."

Its best known version is a recording of a live performance in London, 1975.

This live performance was on a hot July evening and can be found on the Bob Marley and the Wailers album called "Live!".

~~~

No Woman, No Cry

 

 [intro]

  C            G/B       am7  G

  F             G       C   [G-A-B]*    :||  repeat...      . ....   *^^ Notes Only

    

~~~

1          No        Woman NoCry

 -yyyy  2           3           4    

1          No        Woman NoCry

 -yyyyy    2          3           4    :||

~~~

1           Cuz I ReMember 

  WhenWeUsedToSit      4

 1            InTheGovrmntYardn

 TrenchTown      3           4

  1           2      ObServing 

 Thee     HeePo Crits      I Say

 1        MinglWitGoodPeople  

 ThatWeMeet                 Yay

 ~~~

1      GoodFrendsWeHave Oh

GoodFrendsWevLost x!  x!

 1           2      A - Long  TheWa-  ay              (Yeahhhhhhhhhhh) In        ThisGreatFuture   You

CantForgetYourPast     4

1         SoDryYourTears. I Say

 ~~~

1           No       Woman NoCry

 -yyyyy  2           3           4

1          No        Woman NoCry

  -yyyyy  2            3           4  

 1       SayMyLittleDarlin  

   DontShedNoTears        4

1           No       Woman NoCry

 -yyyyy  2           3           4

~~

1           Cuz I ReMember 

  WhenWeUsedToSit      4

1          InTheGovrmntYardn

 TrenchTown

 1     AndThenGeorgie Would

 MakeTheFireLights     x! x!

 1         LogWoodBurningThru

 The   Night       (Niiiiiight)

 ~~~

  1           ThenWeWouldCook

  CornMeal PorRidge      4

 1           OfWhichI'llShare

WithYou (ooooooooo) U-See 1           2         MyFeet   IsMy 

Only     Carriage          .    4

1         2   So I'veGot2PushOn

Through     ButWhileI'mAlong

!  EvryThngsGonaBeAll Rite! :||

~~~

1          No      Woman NoCry  

-yyyyy  2           3           4    

1         No       Woman NoCry  

-yyyyy    2           3           4    :||

~~~

 [Outro]    

1          No       Woman NoCry

   -yyyyy  2           3           4    

 1          No       Woman NoCry

  -yyyyy  2           3           4    

 1         SayMyLittleDarlin  

  DontShedNoTears......

    No....       

        Woman ........

                     No........

                         Cryyyy.........

(Everything is gonna be all right y'all).

~~~

Songwriters: Vincent Ford