No Water Can Quench My Thirst
Bob Marley & The Wailers Lyrics


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No water can quench my thirst
I′m in bed, send me a nurse
I'm thirsty, thirsty, Lord a mercy

Ooh we - hotter the battle, sweeter the victory
I′ve got your love, the power of your glory
Aah, ooh yeah, trillin' me, alright!
Can't judge a mother by the skin of the father
Can′t judge a book by the skin on the cover, ya!
Read me, read me, baby

No water can quench my thirst
I′m in bed, need a nurse
Can you understand?
Do you understand me, baby?

I've got a battle, sweet the victory
I′ve got your love, the power of your glory, yah!
Aah, ooh we, alright
You've got your love and I′ve got mine
Working together, they work fine
Do you believe me, baby? Get it up baby




Break it back, turn it loose
What in heaven, baby, it got to choose

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "No Water Can Quench My Thirst" by Bob Marley & The Wailers convey a message of someone who is experiencing an intense need that remains unfulfilled even after all attempts. The lines "No water can quench my thirst, I'm in bed, send me a nurse" reveal the singer's dire need and desperation. The singer is trying to convey he can't find relief from his thirst and is requesting assistance to provide the help that he needs. The lines "Can't judge a mother by the skin of the father, Can′t judge a book by the skin on the cover, ya! Read me, read me, baby" reveal that the singer understands that one can't judge someone by merely looking at them from the exterior. Instead, one should delve deeper and understand their personality, their story, and their history. The singer pleads for someone to understand what he is going through and not to judge him based on his appearance, but to read and understand him.


The following lyrics "I've got your love, the power of your glory, Aah, ooh yeah, trillin' me, alright!" suggest that the singer's intense thirst is for love, and he seeks it from someone who can provide it unconditionally. The lines "You've got your love, and I've got mine, Working together, they work fine" suggest that both the singer and whoever he is singing to have their love to share, and when they join, it is perfectly aligned to function harmoniously. The lyrics talking about the battle and sweet victory reveal that the singer believes once he has found his love, he can overcome any obstacles that come his way.


Line by Line Meaning

No water can quench my thirst
I have a deep craving that cannot be satisfied by the physical act of drinking water.


I'm in bed, send me a nurse
I am physically weak and in need of care from someone who can provide me with assistance.


I'm thirsty, thirsty, Lord a mercy
I am experiencing a strong desire or need for something that cannot be quenched by simple means.


Ooh we - hotter the battle, sweeter the victory
The greater the challenge, the greater the sense of accomplishment when it is overcome.


I've got your love, the power of your glory
I am filled with a sense of love and greatness from a higher power.


Aah, ooh yeah, trillin' me, alright!
I am filled with excitement and enthusiasm for the journey ahead.


Can't judge a mother by the skin of the father
It is unfair to make assumptions about someone based on the appearance of someone else who is related to them.


Can′t judge a book by the skin on the cover, ya!
It is unfair to make assumptions about a person or thing based solely on external appearances.


Read me, read me, baby
Take the time to get to know me fully and understand my true character.


Can you understand?
Do you have the capacity to truly comprehend what I am experiencing or feeling?


I've got a battle, sweet the victory
I am fighting a difficult challenge, and the joy of overcoming it will be even greater as a result.


You've got your love and I’ve got mine
We each have our own experiences and love to offer, and they can complement each other when shared.


Working together, they work fine
By joining forces, our unique experiences and strengths can combine to achieve even greater things.


Do you believe me, baby? Get it up baby
Do you trust me to help guide us towards victory? Let's work together towards our common goal.


Break it back, turn it loose
Let go of old patterns and ways of thinking in order to move forward towards success.


What in heaven, baby, it got to choose
With divine guidance and mutual trust, we can make choices that will lead us down the right path towards progress and growth.




Writer(s): Bob Marley

Contributed by Maria B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@FlorenceW101

aw man this is on of my favorite Bob Marley songs, this and mellow mood. I love Bob, there will never be another artist like him.

@0misW0rld

i love his rock steady too. the early stuff is so raw

@leesmith9639

Yes I like mellow mood too class

@nebertbanda3930

Why I never noticed those sweet awesome backing vocalizations before??!....Oooooooooh.....rump pump pump...rump pump pump...Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhh...Amazing!!

@5104560711

its songs like this that remind me the time frame his music was made in. its so crazy most of this man's music sounds as if it was made recently. true definition of timeless music.

@charlieday5871

If I ever get sick of hearing this song...I know my time on Earth is near the end

@breal4love

So many memories of great times. This is one of Bob Marleys best

@Pseidof

how i love these short, underrated Bobs songs :)

@davehughes6366

Bassline is crackin love the backing singers 'reggae classic'

@dalaverata002

РРрра па па рапапа па :) много яка песен. Великана Боб Марли!  

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