Login
Login

No Woman, No Cry#Tems version

{{Short description|1974 song by Bob Marley and the Wailers}}

{{About|the Bob Marley song|the 1998 painting by Chris Ofili|No Woman No Cry (painting)|the 2010 documentary film|No Woman, No Cry (film)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}

{{Infobox song

| name = No Woman, No Cry

| cover =

| alt =

| type = song

| artist = Bob Marley and the Wailers

| album = Natty Dread

| B-side =

| released = 25 October 1974

| recorded = 1974

| studio = Harry J. Studios, Kingston, Jamaica

| language = English, Jamaican Patois

| genre = Reggae

| length = 3:46

| label = Island/Tuff Gong

| writer = Vincent Ford

| producer = Chris Blackwell and the Wailers

}}

{{Infobox song

| name = No Woman, No Cry (Live '75)

| cover = NoWomanNoCry.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Bob Marley and the Wailers

| album = Live!

| B-side = "Kinky Reggae"

| released = 29 August 1975{{cite web|title= Bob Marley & the Wailers – No Woman, No Cry (Live '75) |website= Australian-charts.com |access-date= 6 April 2024 |url= https://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Bob+Marley+%26+The+Wailers&titel=No+Woman%2C+No+Cry+%28Live+%2775%29&cat=s}} live version

| recorded = 17 July 1975

| venue = Lyceum Theatre, London

| language = English, Jamaican Patois

| genre = Reggae

| length = 7:07

| label = Island

| writer = Vincent Ford, Bob Marley (uncredited)

| producer = Bob Marley and the Wailers, Steve Smith, Chris Blackwell

| prev_title = So Jah Seh

| prev_year = 1974

| title = No Woman, No Cry (Live '75)

| next_title = Rat Race

| next_year = 1975

| misc =

}}

"No Woman, No Cry" is a reggae song performed by Bob Marley and the Wailers. The song was recorded in 1974 and released on the studio album Natty Dread.{{cite web | last=Eames | first=Tom | title=The Story of... 'No Woman No Cry' by Bob Marley | website=Smooth | date=15 September 2020 | url=https://www.smoothradio.com/features/the-story-of/bob-marley-no-woman-no-cry-lyrics-meaning-video/ | access-date=31 December 2020}}

The live recording of this song from the 1975 album Live! was released as a single and is the best-known version; it was later included on several compilation albums, including the greatest-hits compilation Legend. It was recorded at the Lyceum Theatre in London on 17 July 1975 as part of his Natty Dread Tour.{{cite web|url=https://en.apoplife.nl/bob-marley-and-the-wailers-live-the-best-live-album-of-all-time/|title=Bob Marley And The Wailers Live!, the best live album of all time?|author=Erwin Barendregt|work=apoplife.nl|date=5 December 2020}}

The live version of the song ranked No. 37 on Rolling Stone{{'}}s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.{{Cite magazine|date=7 April 2011|title=500 Greatest Songs of All Time|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/500-greatest-songs-of-all-time-151127/|access-date=10 June 2020|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US}}

In 2005, the live version of the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.{{Cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/awards/hall-of-fame-award#n|title=GRAMMY Hall Of Fame | Hall of Fame Artists | GRAMMY.com|website=grammy.com}}

Writing and composition

Although Bob Marley is widely believed to have written the song,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7806778.stm |title=Entertainment | No Woman No Cry 'songwriter' dies |work=BBC News |date=1 January 2009 |access-date=9 October 2016}}{{cite news| title = In pictures: The legacy of Bob Marley| publisher = BBC| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/07/south_asia_the_legacy_of_bob_marley/html/9.stm | access-date =1 January 2009 }} or at least the melody,{{cite web| last = Humphries| first = Patrick| title = No Woman No Cry| work = BBC Radio 2| publisher = BBC| year = 2003| url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/soldonsong/songlibrary/indepth/nowomannocry.shtml | access-date =1 January 2009 }} songwriting 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 (he specifically mentions the Government Yards of Trenchtown, a public housing project). The royalty payments received by Ford ensured his efforts would continue.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-500-greatest-songs-of-all-time-20110407/bob-marley-no-woman-no-cry-20110525 |title=Bob Marley, 'No Woman, No Cry' | 500 Greatest Songs of All Time |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=7 April 2011 |access-date=9 October 2016}}

The original studio version of the song used a drum machine. Jean Roussel provided the arrangement and Hammond organ parts for this recording.{{fact|date=July 2022}}

The title and main refrain, "No Woman, No Cry", means "Woman, don't cry".{{Cite book|last=Dawes|first=Kwame Senu Neville|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AuoTAQAAIAAJ|title=Bob Marley: Lyrical Genius|date=2002|publisher=Sanctuary|isbn=978-1-86074-433-4|language=en}} The lyric is sometimes misunderstood outside Jamaica to mean "if there is no woman, there is no reason to cry".{{Cite web|last=Rogers|first=William|title=No Woman No Cry {{!}} Blogger Bill|url=https://bloggerbill.com/index.php/2019/02/15/no-woman-no-cry/|access-date=10 June 2020|language=en-US|archive-date=31 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191231231511/https://bloggerbill.com/index.php/2019/02/15/no-woman-no-cry/|url-status=dead}} The lyric is rendered "No, woman, nuh cry" in Jamaican Patois. The "nuh" is pronounced with a short schwa vowel (a "mumbled" vowel, often represented as "uh" in spelling) and represents a clitic ("weakened") form of "no".

Charts

class="wikitable sortable"
Chart (1975)

!Peak
position

Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite Kent|page=192}}

|align="center"|97

Netherlands (Dutch Top 40){{citation|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Bob+Marley+%26+The+Wailers&titel=No+Woman%2C+No+Cry+%28Live+%2775%29&cat=s|title=No Woman, No Cry (Live '75)|work=Official Charts Company|access-date=20 August 2021}}

| style="text-align:center;" |23

UK Singles (OCC){{citation|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19751019/7501/|title=Official Singles Chart Top 50|work=Official Charts Company|access-date=17 August 2021}}

| style="text-align:center;"|22

class="wikitable sortable"
Chart (1981)

!Peak
position

New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ){{citation|url=https://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Bob+Marley+%26+The+Wailers&titel=No+Woman%2C+No+Cry+%28Live+%2775%29&cat=s|title=No Woman, No Cry (Live '75)|work=Official Charts Company|access-date=20 August 2021}}

| style="text-align:center;" |30

UK Singles (OCC){{citation|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19810712/7501/|title=Official Singles Chart Top 75|work=Official Charts Company|access-date=17 August 2021}}

| style="text-align:center;"|8

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|type=single|artist=Bob Marley|title=No Woman No Cry|award=Gold|relyear=1975|certyear=2009|access-date=7 February 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|award=Gold|artist=Bob Marley & the Wailers|title=No Woman No Cry|access-date=29 August 2014|type=single|relyear=1974|certyear=2014|id=2524}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|award=Platinum|number=2|artist=Bob Marley and the Wailers|title=No Woman No Cry|access-date=6 April 2025|type=single|relyear=1974|certyear=2024|source=radioscope}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|award=Gold|artist=Bob Marley and the Wailers|title=No Woman No Cry|access-date=10 March 2024|type=single|relyear=1974|certyear=2024|id=bob-marley-and-the-wailers-no-woman-no-cry}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|award=Platinum|artist=Bob Marley & the Wailers|title=No Woman No Cry|access-date=25 April 2022|type=single|relyear=2004|certyear=2022|id=4620-1030-1}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}

Fugees version

{{Infobox song

| name = No Woman, No Cry

| cover = Fugees-No-Woman-No-Cry-96290.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Fugees

| album = The Score

| released = {{start date|1996|11|18|df=y}}{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1996/Music-Week-1996-11-16.pdf|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=35|date=16 November 1996|access-date=30 June 2021}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Reggae

| length = 4:33

| label = Ruffhouse

| writer = Vincent Ford, Bob Marley (uncredited)

| producer = Wyclef Jean, Lauryn Hill

| prev_title = Ready or Not

| prev_year = 1996

| next_title = Rumble in the Jungle

| next_year = 1997

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|jcTMFmylJ20|"No Woman, No Cry"}}

}}

}}

"No Woman, No Cry" was covered by American hip hop group Fugees. It was released in November 1996 as the fourth single from their second studio album, The Score (1996). The song was produced by Wyclef Jean and Lauryn Hill. Fugees' version of the track features Jean on lead vocals and changes the lyric "in a government yard in Trenchtown" to "in a project yard in Brooklyn." An official remix of the track, featuring Stephen Marley, was included on the group's third release, Bootleg Versions. Jean later recorded a solo version of the track for his 2003 anthology Greatest Hits.

Fugees' version was successful worldwide, peaking atop the New Zealand Singles Chart for two weeks, reaching number-two in the United Kingdom and becoming a top 40 hit in 13 additional countries. It did not chart on the US Billboard Hot 100 due to not receiving a physical release in the US, which at the time was a requirement for songs to appear on the Hot 100. It instead charted on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart, peaking at number 38.

=Critical reception=

Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "Fugees continue to offer the hip-hop masses a thorough musical history—this time targeting Bob Marley's classic reggae hit 'No Woman, No Cry'. Steve Marley's heartwarming vocal similarity to his dad and Wyclef's present-day Brooklyn, N.Y.- project-sensitive lyrics successfully bind new jacks to dancehall's reggae origins. The music video for the single continues the legacy: Lauryn Hill gets her unique vocal swerve on with the Melody Makers in scenes reminiscent of Rita, Judy, and Marcia's I-Three days, and early Wailers footage interspersed with the collaborators' studio time supplies an overall tear-jerking, historic experience."{{cite magazine|first=Larry|last=Flick|title=Reviews & Previews: Singles|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1996/BB-1996-11-09.pdf|magazine=Billboard|date=9 November 1996|page=68|accessdate=6 December 2022|author-link=Larry Flick}}

=Track listings=

  • 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

=Charts=

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

==Weekly charts==

class="wikitable sortable"

|+Weekly chart performance for "No Woman, No Cry"

!Chart (1996–1997)

!Peak
position

{{single chart|Australia|20|artist=Fugees|song=No Woman, No Cry}}
{{single chart|Austria|40|artist=Fugees|song=No Woman, No Cry}}
{{single chart|Flanders|31|artist=Fugees|song=No Woman, No Cry}}
{{single chart|Wallonia|11|artist=Fugees|song=No Woman, No Cry}}
Denmark (IFPI){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1997/MM-1997-01-18.pdf|title=Top National Sellers|magazine=Music & Media|volume=14|issue=1–3|page=23|date=18 January 1997|access-date=14 April 2020}}

|align="center"|7

Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1996/MM-1996-12-07.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=13|issue=49|page=12|date=7 December 1996|access-date=14 April 2020}}

|align="center"|14

{{single chart|Finland|6|artist=Fugees|song=No Woman, No Cry}}
{{single chart|France|12|artist=Fugees|song=No Woman, No Cry}}
{{single chart|Germany|33|artist=Fugees|song=No Woman, No Cry|songid=3352|access-date=19 November 2019}}
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40){{cite news|url=https://timarit.is/page/2942999?iabr=on#page/n33/mode/2up|title=Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (20.7. – 26.7. '96)|newspaper=Dagblaðið Vísir|language=is|page=42|date=20 July 1996|access-date=15 February 2022}}

|align="center"|2

{{single chart|Ireland2|5|song=No Woman No Cry|access-date=19 November 2019}}
Italy (Musica e dischi){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1997/Billboard-1997-01-18.pdf|title=Hits of the World – Italy|magazine=Billboard|volume=109|issue=3|page=46|date=18 January 1997|access-date=4 June 2020}}

|align="center"|15

{{single chart|Dutch40|21|year=1996|week=49|access-date=19 November 2019}}
{{single chart|Dutch100|22|artist=Fugees|song=No Woman, No Cry}}
{{single chart|New Zealand|1|artist=Fugees|song=No Woman, No Cry}}
{{single chart|Scotland|7|date=19961124}}
{{single chart|Sweden|14|artist=Fugees|song=No Woman, No Cry}}
{{single chart|Switzerland|23|artist=Fugees|song=No Woman, No Cry}}
{{single chart|UK|2|date=19961124}}
{{single chart|UKrandb|1|date=19961124}}
{{single chart|Billboardradiosongs|38|artist=Fugees|access-date=19 November 2019}}

{{col-2}}

==Year-end charts==

class="wikitable"

|+Year-end chart performance for "No Woman, No Cry"

!Chart (1996)

!Position

Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40){{cite news|url=https://timarit.is/page/2949469#page/n15/mode/2up|title=Árslistinn 1996|newspaper=Dagblaðið Vísir|language=is|page=25|date=2 January 1997|access-date=30 May 2020}}

|align="center"|15

UK Singles (OCC){{cite magazine|title=Top 100 Singles 1996|magazine=Music Week|page=25|date=18 January 1997}}{{cite web|url=http://hosting1642755.az.pl/sp%20uk%20best%201996.html|title=Najlepsze single na UK Top 40–1996 wg sprzedaży|language=pl|access-date=19 November 2019|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150604144645/http://hosting1642755.az.pl/sp%20uk%20best%201996.html|archive-date=4 June 2015}}

|align="center"|74

{{col-end}}

=Certifications=

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for "No Woman, No Cry"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=The Fugees|title=No Woman No Cry|award=Gold|relyear=1996|id=1996-12-06|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|certyear=1996}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Fugees|title=No Woman No Cry|award=Silver|relyear=1996|certyear=2013|id=4620-1158-1|access-date=30 June 2021}}

{{Certification Table Bottom}}

Tems version

{{Infobox song

| name = No Woman, No Cry

| cover =

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Tems and Marvel

| album = Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (soundtrack)

| EP = Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Prologue

| released = {{start date|2022|07|25|df=y}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Reggae, R&B

| length = 3:34

| label = *Hollywood

| writer = Temilade Openiyi, Bob Marley

| producer = Ludwig Göransson

| chronology = Tems

| prev_title = Wait For U

| prev_year = 2022

| next_title = Free Mind

| next_year = 2022

| misc =

}}

"No Woman, No Cry" was covered by Nigerian singer, Tems and Marvel Music for the soundtrack of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.{{Cite web |title=Nigeria's Tems joins Marvelverse with "No woman No Cry" rendition - Businessday NG |url=https://businessday.ng/life-arts/article/nigerias-tems-joins-marvelverse-with-no-woman-no-cry-rendition/ |access-date=2022-07-25 |website=businessday.ng|date=25 July 2022 }}{{Cite web |last=Mallick |first=Dani |date=2022-07-24 |title=Tems Covers Bob Marley's 'No Woman, No Cry' In 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' Teaser: Watch |url=https://www.dancehallmag.com/2022/07/24/news/tems-covers-bob-marleys-no-woman-no-cry-in-black-panther-wakanda-forever-teaser-watch.html |access-date=2022-08-07 |website=DancehallMag |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=says |first=Ali |title='Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' Prologue Soundtrack Single Released {{!}} Film Music Reporter |url=http://filmmusicreporter.com/2022/07/25/black-panther-wakanda-forever-prologue-soundtrack-teaser-trailer-single-released/ |access-date=2022-08-07 |language=en-US}} It was produced by Ludwig Göransson and released on 25 July 2022 as the lead single off the EP.{{Cite web |last=Tangcay |first=Jazz |date=2022-07-25 |title='Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' Gets Prologue Soundtrack With 'No Woman, No Cry' by Tems |url=https://variety.com/2022/artisans/news/black-panther-wakanda-forever-no-woman-no-cry-1235325007/ |access-date=2022-08-07 |website=Variety}}{{Cite web |last=Alexandra Kozicki |date=2022-07-29 |title=Tems Covers Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry", Amaarae Shares "A Body, A Coffin" And Santa Fe Klan Share "Soy" From Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Soundtrack - |url=https://music.mxdwn.com/2022/07/29/news/tems-covers-bob-marleys-no-woman-no-cry-amaarae-shares-a-body-a-coffin-and-santa-fe-klan-share-soy-from-black-panther-wakanda-forever/ |access-date=2022-08-07 |website=mxdwn Music |language=en-US}} It received generally positive reception from fans who viewed the teaser trailer and it debuted at number one on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart.{{Cite web |last=Disalvo |first=Tom |date=2022-07-26 |title=Hear Tems' cover of 'No Woman No Cry' from new 'Wakanda Forever Prologue' EP |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/hear-tems-cover-of-no-woman-no-cry-on-new-wakanda-forever-prologue-ep-radar-3276821 |access-date=2022-08-07 |website=NME |language=en-GB}}

=Charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ Weekly chart performance for "No Woman, No Cry"

! scope="col"| Chart (2022)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

scope="row"| US Afrobeats Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/Tems/chart-history/AFB|title=Tems Chart History (U.S. Afrobeats Songs)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=4 November 2024}}

| 7

{{single chart|Billboarddigitalsongs|50|artist=Tems|rowheader=true|access-date=4 November 2024}}
scope="row" | US World Digital Song Sales (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/Tems/chart-history/WDT|title=Tems Chart History (World Digital Song Sales)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=4 November 2024}}

| 1

{{-}}

References

{{Reflist|30em}}

External links

  • {{YouTube|IT8XvzIfi4U|"No Woman, No Cry" Music video}}

{{Bob Marley}}

{{The Fugees}}

{{Londonbeat}}

{{NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Song}}

{{authority control}}

Category:1974 singles

Category:1996 singles

Category:2022 singles

Category:Bob Marley songs

Category:Joan Baez songs

Category:Fugees songs

Category:Tems songs

Category:Number-one singles in New Zealand

Category:Song recordings produced by Salaam Remi

Category:Songs about poverty

Category:Songs about Jamaica

Category:Song recordings produced by Frank Farian

Category:Spunge songs

Category:1973 songs

Category:Quotations from music

Category:1974 quotations

Category:Island Records singles

Category:Ruffhouse Records singles

Category:Hollywood Records singles