No Woman No Cry
Fugees / The Score Lyrics

I remember when we used to sit in the government yard in brooklyn
I remember the days when we would sit in the government yard in Brooklyn and observe the mix of good and bad people around us

Observing the crookedness as it mingled with the good people we meet
We watched as the bad people mixed with the good people we encountered, and we noticed their crooked behavior

Good friends we had
We used to have good friends in the neighborhood

Good friends we've lost along the way
Unfortunately, we've lost some of those good friends as we've grown older and things have changed

In this great future you can't forget your past, so dry your tears
Even though we may have lost some friends, we need to move forward and appreciate our memories. Don't cry, just focus on the future

I say and to my peeps who passed away
I'm specifically speaking to those friends who have passed away, telling them not to worry because we'll always remember them

No woman, no cry, no woman no cry, say say say
Don't cry, my sister. No need for tears, so don't shed them

Hey little sister don't shed no tears
To emphasize the point, the singer tells his sister to not cry and be strong

I remember when we used to rock in a project yard in jersey
Another memory of times spent among friends in a different place, a project yard in New Jersey where they would have fun and 'rock out'

And little georgie would make the firelight
One of the friends, little Georgie, would be responsible for starting a fire

As stolen cars passed through the night
They would watch stolen cars pass by during the night

And then we'd hit the corner store for roots, paper, and brew
After fun and games, they would head to the corner store for roots (herbal remedy), paper (rolling paper), and brew (alcohol)

My drink's my only remedy
The singer relies on alcohol as his only remedy for the pain of losing loved ones

For pain of losing family, but while I'm gone shorty
Despite the pain, he reassures his lover that everything will be okay while he is gone

Everything's gonna be alright, everything's gonna be alright
A repeated reassurance that everything will be okay in the end

Fugees come to the dance tonight, everything's gonna be alright
He invites the Fugees to come to the dance and celebrates that everything is going to be alright

The gun man's in the house tonight
There is trouble brewing with the presence of a gun man

But everything's gonna be alright
Once again, he remains positive that everything will work out in the end

Oh ah oh ah
A repeated chant throughout the song, emphasizing the positive message

I remember when we used to sit in a government yard in trench town
Another memory of time spent in a government yard, but this time in Trench Town

The hypocrites as they mingled with the good people we meet
The singer notes the presence of hypocrites among good people in the neighborhood

Good friends we had oh good friends we've lost
Once again, he reflects on the friends they've lost along the way

Along the way hey
Repeating this line with emphasis on the 'hey' accentuates the significance of the losses they've experienced

In this great future
Despite the losses, the singer remains hopeful about the future

You can't forget your past so dry your tears I say
He once again tells people to dry their tears and remember their past, as it has shaped them into who they are today

No woman no cry. no woman no cry say say say
Once again reassuring his sister not to cry

Hey, little sister, don't shed no tears
Repeating this message several times reinforces the idea that she should be strong and not cry

And to my peeps who passed away
The song ends with a final message to those friends who have passed away