One of my favorite things to do in the last weeks of school is to make my summer playlist. It is full of songs that I can picture myself singing when I'm cruising in my Nissan with the windows rolled down, bass bumpin'. One of the first songs I put on this year's list was No Woman, No Cry by Bob Marley. I've always been a slight Marley fan, but never too enthused about any of his songs. I listened to this song again while sitting at school, sipping my iced coffee. Whoa, man, Marley's got more to say than "smoke weed...everyday." I always thought this song was misogynistic, a man saying that if you don't have a woman, you'll be free and you'll never have pain. And was I wrong. He's saying, "You know, there's lots of shit in this world, but don't cry about it. Remember the good times in the past and the good friends you've had. Everything's gonna be alright." Now that's a message we can all relate to.
"No, woman, no cry;
No, woman, no cry;
No, woman, no cry;
No, woman, no cry.
Said - said - said: I remember when we used to sit
In the government yard in Trenchtown,
Oba - obaserving the 'ypocrites
As they would mingle with the good people we meet.
Good friends we have, oh, good friends we've lost
Along the way.
In this great future, you can't forget your past;
So dry your tears, I seh.
No, woman, no cry;
No, woman, no cry.
'Ere, little darlin', don't shed no tears:
No, woman, no cry.
Said - said - said: I remember when-a we used to sit
In the government yard in Trenchtown.
And then Georgie would make the fire lights,
As it was logwood burnin' through the nights.
Then we would cook cornmeal 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, I mean:
Everything's gonna be all right!
Everything's gonna be all right!
Everything's gonna be all right!
Everything's gonna be all right!
I said, everything's gonna be all right-a!
Everything's gonna be all right!
Everything's gonna be all right, now!
Everything's gonna be all right!
So, woman, no cry;
No - no, woman - woman, no cry.
Woman, little sister, don't shed no tears;
No, woman, no cry.
---
[Guitar solo]
---
I remember when we used to sit
In the government yard in Trenchtown.
And then Georgie would make the fire lights,
As it was logwood burnin' through the nights.
Then we would cook cornmeal 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:
No, woman, no cry;
No, woman, no cry.
Woman, little darlin', say don't shed no tears;
No, woman, no cry.
Eh! (Little darlin', don't shed no tears!
No, woman, no cry.
Little sister, don't shed no tears!
No, woman, no cry.)"
RN
