Grimsby Poets Forums

A song that I really like is Bob Marley's 'No, Woman No Cry' a sort of Breaking-up/Leaving-home/Love song ;

No, Woman No Cry - Bob Marley 1974

No, woman no cry-y.
No, woman no cry.
No, woman no cry-y. 
No, woman no cry.

No, woman no cry-y. 
No no woman,
No, woman no cry.
No, woman no cry-y 
No no woman,
No, woman no cry. 

You see I remember when a we used to sit 
In the government yard in Trenchtown, 
Obaserving the 'ypocrites as they would
Mingle with the good people we meet,
Good friends we had, oh, good friends we've lost 
Along the way,
In this great future, you can't forget your past; 
So dry your tears, I say.

No, woman no cry-y. 
No, woman no cry.
No, woman no cry-y. 
No no woman,
No, woman no cry. 

You see I remember when we used to sit 
In the government yard in Trenchtown,
And then Georgie would make the fire light, 
And it was logwood burnin' through the night,
Then we would cook cornmeal porridge, I'm sayin, 
Of which I'll share with you,
My feet is my only carriage I'm sayin
And so I've got to push on through. 
But while I'm gone, hey,
Everything is gonna be all right! 
Everything is gonna be all right! 
Everything is gonna be all right, yeah! 
Everything is gonna be all right! 
Everything is gonna be all right! 
Everything is gonna be all right! 
Everything is gonna be all right, yeah! 
Everything is gonna be all right! 

No, woman no cry.
Oh no no. 
Don't shed no tears.
No no, woman.
No, woman no cry.  
O my little sister, don't shed no tears.
No no, woman.
No, woman no cry.

(Don't shed no tears.)
(No, woman no cry.)
(Little sister, don't shed no tears.)
(No, woman no cry.)


Hear it sung live by Marley in 1979,

Yes this Bob Marley song 'No, Woman No Cry' is a great song.
Its theme has some similarity to the old British-Irish folk song or sailors song 'The Leaving Of Liverpool' which was first recorded in the USA in the late 1800s as the version below ;
(a similar theme is seen in the 1912 song 'It's A Long Way To Tipperary' adopted as an Irish-British soldiers song)

The Leaving Of Liverpool
(or "Fare thee well my own true love")

Farewell to Prince's Landing Stage,
River Mersey - Fare thee well.
I am bound for California,
A place that I know right well.

So fare thee well my own true love;
When I return united we shall be.
It's not the leaving of Liverpool that's grieving me,
But darling when I think of thee.

I am bound for Calafornia
By way of stormy Cape Horn,
And I'm bound to write you a letter love,
When I am homeward bound.

So fare thee well my own true love;
When I return united we shall be.
It's not the leaving of Liverpool that's grieving me,
But darling when I think of thee.

I have signed on a yankee clipper ship,
Davy Crockett is her name,
And Burgess he is the captain of her,
And they say she is a floating hell.

So fare thee well my own true love;
When I return united we shall be.
It's not the leaving of Liverpool that's grieving me,
But darling when I think of thee.

I have shipped with Burgess once before
And I think I know him well:
If a man's a sailor he can get along,
If not, then he's sure in hell.

So fare thee well my own true love;
When I return united we shall be.
It's not the leaving of Liverpool that's grieving me,
But darling when I think of thee.

Farewell to Lower Frederick's Street,
Ensign Terrace and Park Lane;
For I think it will be a long, long time
Before I see you again.

So fare thee well my own true love;
When I return united we shall be.
It's not the leaving of Liverpool that's grieving me,
But darling when I think of thee.

Oh the sun is on the harbour love
And I wish I could remain,
For I know it will be a long, long time
Before I see you again.

So fare thee well my own true love;
When I return united we shall be.
It's not the leaving of Liverpool that's grieving me,
But darling when I think of thee.


Hear one good more recent version by The Dubliners,