My Cup
Bob Marley & The Wailers Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

My cup is running over
I don't know what to do
My cup is running over
I don't know what to do
No I don't know (No I don't know)
No I don't know
(No I don't know)
Yes I've got to cry, cry, cry
People let me cry, cry, cry
Said I fell a little bit better (Cry, cry, cry)
If only I got to cry, cry, cry

Now that I, lost you
I've lost the best friend
That I ever knew
Now that I, realize

It makes me (Makes me)
It makes me (Makes me)
So mad, tell you, my cup, running over
I don't know what to do
My cup is running over
I don't know what to do
No I don't know (No I don't know)
No I don't know

(No I don't know)
Yes I've got to cry, cry, cry
People let me (cry, cry, cry)
(Cry, cry, cry)
(Cry, cry, cry)

Now that I, lost you
I've lost the best friend that I ever knew
Now that I, realize
It makes me (makes me) it makes me (makes me)
So mad, tell you my cup, cup, is running over baby
And I don't know what to, don't know what to do yeah
Tell you my cup, running over
And I don't know, don't know, don't know what to do

Eh
No I don't know (No I don't know)
No I don't know
(No I don't know)
Yes I've got to cry, cry, cry
People let me (Cry, cry, cry)
I'll feel a little bit better (Cry, cry, cry)
But I got (feel like crying) (Cry, cry, cry)
Ooh yeah (feel like crying) (Cry, cry, cry)
Ooh yeah (feel like crying) cry, cry, cry




(Feel like crying)
Cry, cry

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Bob Marley & The Wailers' song My Cup seem to be about the singer's overwhelming emotions in the aftermath of a breakup. The repeated statement, "My cup is running over, I don't know what to do," suggests that the singer is so filled with emotions that they are spilling over and are difficult to contain or handle. The lines "Now that I lost you, I've lost the best friend that I ever knew" is a message of heartbreak, as the singer recognizes that not only have they lost a romantic partner but also a close friend.


The lines "Yes, I've got to cry, cry, cry" and "People let me cry, cry, cry" suggest that the singer believes they need to release their emotions through tears in order to feel better. They ask the people around them to let them cry and acknowledge the power of emotional release in processing pain. Throughout the song, the singer is grappling with the emotions of sadness and anger, as expressed in the line "It makes me so mad, tell you, my cup is running over."


Throughout the song, Bob Marley & The Wailers use repetition of lyrics and rhythm to emphasize the singer's overwhelming feelings. By doing so, they create a sense of emotional catharsis, both for the singer and the listener.


Line by Line Meaning

My cup is running over
I have more than I can handle


I don't know what to do
I feel overwhelmed


No I don't know
I have no solutions


Yes I've got to cry, cry, cry
Crying is my only release


People let me cry, cry, cry
I need to be allowed to express my emotions


Said I fell a little bit better (Cry, cry, cry)
Crying will make me feel slightly better


Now that I, lost you
I have lost someone important to me


I've lost the best friend
They were my closest companion


That I ever knew
I don't think I will find another like them


Now that I, realize
It has just hit me


It makes me (Makes me)
It causes me


So mad, tell you, my cup, running over
I'm furious and overwhelmed


And I don't know what to, don't know what to do yeah
I have no solutions to my problems


Yes I've got to cry, cry, cry
I need to cry because I'm overwhelmed


But I got (feel like crying) (Cry, cry, cry)
Crying is the only way to cope


Ooh yeah (feel like crying) (Cry, cry, cry)
I am strongly feeling the need to cry


Ooh yeah (feel like crying) cry, cry, cry
The only way to deal with my situation is to cry


Cry, cry
Crying is my only release for my feelings




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BOB MARLEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@user-ps2qt9fe1i

My cup is running over
I don't know what to do
My cup is running over
I don't know what to do
No I don't know (No I don't know)
No I don't know
(No I don't know)
Yes I've got to cry, cry, cry
People let me cry, cry, cry
Said I fell a little bit better (Cry, cry, cry)
If only I got to cry, cry, cry
Now that I, lost you
I've lost the best friend
That I ever knew
Now that I, realize
It makes me (Makes me)
It makes me (Makes me)
So mad, tell you, my cup, running over
I don't know what to do
My cup is running over
I don't know what to do
No I don't know (No I don't know)
No I don't know
Yes I've got to cry, cry, cry
People let me (cry, cry, cry)
(Cry, cry, cry)
(Cry, cry, cry)
Now that I, lost you
I've lost the best friend that I ever knew
Now that I, realize
It makes me (makes me) it makes me (makes me)
So mad, tell you my cup, cup, is running over baby
And I don't know what to, don't know what to do yeah
Tell you my cup, running over
And I don't know, don't know, don't know what to do
Eh
No I don't know (No I don't know)
No I don't know
(No I don't know)
Yes I've got to cry, cry, cry
People let me (Cry, cry, cry)
I'll feel a little bit better (Cry, cry, cry)
But I got (feel like crying) (Cry, cry, cry)
Ooh yeah (feel like crying) (Cry, cry, cry)
Ooh yeah (feel like crying) cry, cry, cry
(Feel like crying)
Cry, cry



@AndersonSilva-eb4cy

My cup is running over
I don't know what to do
My cup is running over
I don't know what to do
No I don't know (No I don't know)
No I don't know
(No I don't know)
Yes I've got to cry, cry, cry
People let me cry, cry, cry
Said I fell a little bit better (Cry, cry, cry)
If only I got to cry, cry, cry
Now that I, lost you
I've lost the best friend
That I ever knew
Now that I, realize
It makes me (Makes me)
It makes me (Makes me)
So mad, tell you, my cup, running over
I don't know what to do
My cup is running over
I don't know what to do
No I don't know (No I don't know)
No I don't know
Yes I've got to cry, cry, cry
People let me (cry, cry, cry)
(Cry, cry, cry)
(Cry, cry, cry)
Now that I, lost you
I've lost the best friend that I ever knew
Now that I, realize
It makes me (makes me) it makes me (makes me)
So mad, tell you my cup, cup, is running over baby
And I don't know what to, don't know what to do yeah
Tell you my cup, running over
And I don't know, don't know, don't know what to do
Eh
No I don't know (No I don't know)
No I don't know
(No I don't know)
Yes I've got to cry, cry, cry
People let me (Cry, cry, cry)
I'll feel a little bit better (Cry, cry, cry)
But I got (feel like crying) (Cry, cry, cry)
Ooh yeah (feel like crying) (Cry, cry, cry)
Ooh yeah (feel like crying) cry, cry, cry
(Feel like crying)
Cry, cry



All comments from YouTube:

@CedricKross-xc1pt

Pure and pure classic by THE WAILERS: Bunny , Peter & Bob. May JAH BLESS YOU ALL🙏🙏🙏

@victoriacorder8250

2023 and still going strong.

@SoccerguyJoe

This song is a lesson to love those who are here with you now, cause you never know when they could be gone..

@ianwhittington1276

Mi uh need to learn how to love deh ones mi nuh like

@willnzsurf

R.I.P. Lee "Scratch" Perry 'The Upsetter'

@willnzsurf

🌴😎💯

@Free_palestine3696

For as long as humans are on this earth the soul of bob will be around.

@ogslimeast713

🙏👊 Rest in Peace👊🙏 KING MARLEY 👊 Much Respect 👊 Fo LIFE 👊

@justinpalacio9907

my cup runneth over

@johnkanai4106

Peter, Bunny & Bob... vocals like honey, haunting reverberating harmonies...

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