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No Woman, No Cry

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This article is about the Bob Marley song. For the 1998 painting by Chris Ofili, see No Woman No Cry (painting). For the 2010 documentary film, see No Woman, No Cry (film).

"No Woman, No Cry"
Song by Bob Marley and the Wailers
from the album Natty Dread
LanguageEnglish, Jamaican Patois
Released25 October 1974
Recorded1974
StudioHarry J. Studios, Kingston, Jamaica
GenreReggae
Length3:46
LabelIsland/Tuff Gong
Songwriter(s)Vincent Ford
Producer(s)Chris Blackwell and the Wailers
"No Woman, No Cry (Live '75)"
Single by Bob Marley and the Wailers
from the album Live!
LanguageEnglish, Jamaican Patois
B-side"Kinky Reggae"
Released29 August 1975[1] live version
Recorded17 July 1975
VenueLyceum Theatre, London
GenreReggae
Length7:07
LabelIsland
Songwriter(s)Vincent Ford, Bob Marley (uncredited)
Producer(s)Bob Marley and the Wailers, Steve Smith, Chris Blackwell
Bob Marley and the Wailers singles chronology
"So Jah Seh"
(1974) 		"No Woman, No Cry (Live '75)"
(1975) 		"Rat Race"
(1975)

"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.[2]

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.[3]

The live version of the song ranked No. 37 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[4]

In 2005, the live version of the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.[5]

Writing and composition

[edit]

Although Bob Marley is widely believed to have written the song,[6][7] or at least the melody,[8] 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.[9]

The original studio version of the song used a drum machine. Jean Roussel provided the arrangement and Hammond organ parts for this recording.[citation needed] The title and main refrain, "No Woman, No Cry", means "Woman, don't cry".[10] The lyric is sometimes misunderstood outside Jamaica to mean "if there is no woman, there is no reason to cry".[11] 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

[edit]
Chart (1975) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[12] 97
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[13] 23
UK Singles (OCC)[14] 22
Chart (1981) Peak
position
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[15] 30
UK Singles (OCC)[16] 8

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[17] Gold 30,000*
Italy (FIMI)[18] Gold 15,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[19] Gold 30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[20] Platinum 600,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Fugees version

[edit]
"No Woman, No Cry"
Single by Fugees
from the album The Score
Released18 November 1996 (1996-11-18)[21]
GenreReggae
Length4:33
LabelRuffhouse
Songwriter(s)Vincent Ford, Bob Marley (uncredited)
Producer(s)Wyclef Jean, Lauryn Hill
Fugees singles chronology
"Ready or Not"
(1996) 		"No Woman, No Cry"
(1996) 		"Rumble in the Jungle"
(1997)
Music video
"No Woman, No Cry" on YouTube

"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

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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 danceball'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."[22]

Track listings

[edit]
  • 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

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications and sales for "No Woman, No Cry"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[47] Gold 5,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[48] Silver 200,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Tems version

[edit]
"No Woman, No Cry"
Single by Tems and Marvel
from the album Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (soundtrack)
Released25 July 2022 (2022-07-25)
GenreReggae, R&B
Length3:34
Label
Songwriter(s)Temilade Openiyi, Bob Marley
Producer(s)Ludwig Göransson
Tems singles chronology
"Wait For U"
(2022) 		"No Woman, No Cry"
(2022) 		"Free Mind"
(2022)

"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.[49][50][51] It was produced by Ludwig Göransson and released on 25 July 2022 as the lead single off the EP.[52][53] 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.[54]

Charts

[edit]
Weekly chart performance for "No Woman, No Cry"
Chart (2022) Peak
position
US Afrobeats Songs (Billboard)[55] 7
US Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[56] 50
US World Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[57] 1

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Bob Marley & the Wailers – No Woman, No Cry (Live '75)". Australian-charts.com. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  2. ^ Eames, Tom (15 September 2020). "The Story of... 'No Woman No Cry' by Bob Marley". Smooth. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  3. ^ Erwin Barendregt (5 December 2020). "Bob Marley And The Wailers Live!, the best live album of all time?". apoplife.nl.
  4. ^ "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. 7 April 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  5. ^ "GRAMMY Hall Of Fame | Hall of Fame Artists | GRAMMY.com". grammy.com.
  6. ^ "Entertainment | No Woman No Cry 'songwriter' dies". BBC News. 1 January 2009. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  7. ^ "In pictures: The legacy of Bob Marley". BBC. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
  8. ^ Humphries, Patrick (2003). "No Woman No Cry". BBC Radio 2. BBC. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
  9. ^ "Bob Marley, 'No Woman, No Cry' | 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. 7 April 2011. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  10. ^ Dawes, Kwame Senu Neville (2002). Bob Marley: Lyrical Genius. Sanctuary. ISBN 978-1-86074-433-4.
  11. ^ Rogers, William. "No Woman No Cry | Blogger Bill". Archived from the original on 31 December 2019. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  12. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992: 23 years of hit singles & albums from the top 100 charts. St Ives, N.S.W, Australia: Australian Chart Book. p. 192. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  13. ^ "No Woman, No Cry (Live '75)", Official Charts Company, retrieved 20 August 2021
  14. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 50", Official Charts Company, retrieved 17 August 2021
  15. ^ "No Woman, No Cry (Live '75)", Official Charts Company, retrieved 20 August 2021
  16. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 75", Official Charts Company, retrieved 17 August 2021
  17. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Bob Marley – No Woman No Cry" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  18. ^ "Italian single certifications – Bob Marley & the Wailers – No Woman No Cry" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
  19. ^ "Spanish single certifications – Bob Marley and the Wailers – No Woman No Cry". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  20. ^ "British single certifications – Bob Marley & the Wailers – No Woman No Cry". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  21. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 16 November 1996. p. 35. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  22. ^ Flick, Larry (9 November 1996). "Reviews & Previews: Singles" (PDF). Billboard. p. 68. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  23. ^ "Fugees – No Woman, No Cry". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  24. ^ "Fugees – No Woman, No Cry" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  25. ^ "Fugees – No Woman, No Cry" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  26. ^ "Fugees – No Woman, No Cry" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  27. ^ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 1–3. 18 January 1997. p. 23. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  28. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 49. 7 December 1996. p. 12. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  29. ^ "Fugees: No Woman, No Cry" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat.
  30. ^ "Fugees – No Woman, No Cry" (in French). Les classement single.
  31. ^ "Fugees – No Woman, No Cry" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  32. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (20.7. – 26.7. '96)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 20 July 1996. p. 42. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  33. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – No Woman No Cry". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  34. ^ "Hits of the World – Italy" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 3. 18 January 1997. p. 46. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  35. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 49, 1996" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  36. ^ "Fugees – No Woman, No Cry" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  37. ^ "Fugees – No Woman, No Cry". Top 40 Singles.
  38. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  39. ^ "Fugees – No Woman, No Cry". Singles Top 100.
  40. ^ "Fugees – No Woman, No Cry". Swiss Singles Chart.
  41. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  42. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  43. ^ "Fugees Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  44. ^ "Árslistinn 1996". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 2 January 1997. p. 25. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  45. ^ "Top 100 Singles 1996". Music Week. 18 January 1997. p. 25.
  46. ^ "Najlepsze single na UK Top 40–1996 wg sprzedaży" (in Polish). Archived from the original on 4 June 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  47. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – The Fugees – No Woman No Cry". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  48. ^ "British single certifications – Fugees – No Woman No Cry". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  49. ^ "Nigeria's Tems joins Marvelverse with "No woman No Cry" rendition - Businessday NG". businessday.ng. 25 July 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  50. ^ Mallick, Dani (24 July 2022). "Tems Covers Bob Marley's 'No Woman, No Cry' In 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' Teaser: Watch". DancehallMag. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  51. ^ says, Ali. "'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' Prologue Soundtrack Single Released | Film Music Reporter". Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  52. ^ Tangcay, Jazz (25 July 2022). "'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' Gets Prologue Soundtrack With 'No Woman, No Cry' by Tems". Variety. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  53. ^ Alexandra Kozicki (29 July 2022). "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 -". mxdwn Music. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  54. ^ Disalvo, Tom (26 July 2022). "Hear Tems' cover of 'No Woman No Cry' from new 'Wakanda Forever Prologue' EP". NME. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  55. ^ "Tems Chart History (U.S. Afrobeats Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  56. ^ "Tems Chart History (Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  57. ^ "Tems Chart History (World Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
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