No Woman, No Cry – English Lyrics

• By: Bob Marley & The Wailers

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language can be a beautiful journey, and 'No Woman, No Cry' offers a special window into the heart of Jamaican Patois. By understanding the true meaning of the title – 'Woman, don't cry' – you'll not only grasp a key phrase in the dialect but also connect with the song's powerful message of hope and perseverance. This iconic reggae track provides a unique opportunity to learn about Jamaican culture and the expressive power of its language through music.

[English]

No woman no cry

No woman no cry

No woman no cry

No woman no cry

'Cause, 'cause, 'cause I remember when we used to sit

In the government yard in Trenchtown

Oba-obaserving the hypocrites, yeah

Mingle with the good people we meet, yes

Good friends we have, oh, good friends we have lost

Along the way, yeah

In this great future, you can't forget your past

So dry your tears, I say, yeah

No woman no cry

No woman no cry, yeah

'Ere, little darlin', don't shed no tears

No woman no cry, hey

Said, said, said, I remember when-a we used to sit

In the government yard in Trenchtown, yeah

And then Georgie would make the fire lights

I say, a logwood burnin' through the nights, yeah

Then we would cook cornmeal porridge, I say

Of which I'll share with you, yeah

My feet is my only carriage

And so I've got to push on through

But while I'm gone

Everything's gonna be all right

Everything's gonna be all right

Everything's gonna be all right

Everything's gonna be all right

Everything's gonna be all right

Everything's gonna be all right

Everything's gonna be all right

Everything's gonna be all right

So no woman no cry

No woman no cry, I say

Oh little, oh little darlin', don't shed no tears

No, woman, no cry, eh

No woman, no woman, no woman no cry

No woman no cry

One more time I've got to say

Oh, little, little darlin', please don't shed no tears

No woman no cry

No woman

No woman no cry

Everything's gonna be alright

Everything's gonna be alright

Everything's gonna be alright

...

Key Grammar Structures

• No woman no cry

  ➔ Double Negative Imperative

  ➔ Non-standard English where "no" replaces "don't" in the imperative structure. Meaning: "Woman, don't cry".

• we used to sit

  ➔ Used to + Verb (Past Habit)

  ➔ Describes repeated actions or states in the past that no longer happen. "Used to sit" means regular sitting in the past.

• good friends we have lost

  ➔ Relative Clause Omission

  ➔ Shortened form of "good friends (that) we have lost". The relative pronoun "that" is omitted.

• you can't forget your past

  ➔ Modal Verb for Prohibition (can't)

  ➔ "Can't" expresses strong prohibition or impossibility. Meaning: "You must not forget" or "It's impossible to forget".

• dry your tears

  ➔ Imperative Mood

  ➔ Direct command using base verb form. Expresses instruction or advice: "(You) dry your tears".

• Georgie would make the fire lights

  ➔ Would for Past Habits

  ➔ "Would" describes repeated actions in the past. Similar to "used to" but for specific actions.

• My feet is my only carriage

  ➔ Non-standard Subject-Verb Agreement

  ➔ Grammatically irregular: Plural subject "feet" with singular verb "is" (should be "are"). Reflects Jamaican English dialect.

• Everything's gonna be all right

  ➔ Gonna (Going to) for Future

  ➔ Informal contraction of "going to" for future certainty. Expresses strong assurance about future events.