No Woman No Cry
Wyclef Jean Lyrics

A dedication to all the refugees worldwide, ah
The song is dedicated to refugees worldwide, calling attention to their struggles.

Say, say, say
The repetition of this phrase serves to build anticipation and create emphasis.

I remember when we used to sit in the government yard in Brooklyn
The artist recalls a time in the past when he and his friends hung out in a public space in Brooklyn.

Obe-Observing the crookedness as it mingled with the good people we meet
The artist observed corruption and bad behavior in the same location as good, honest people.

Good friends we had
The artist had many good friends during this period of his life.

Oh, good friends we've lost along the way
Sadly, some of the artist's friends have passed away or become estranged over time.

In this great future you can't forget your past, so dry your tears
The artist reminds us that it's important to remember where we come from, but not to dwell on the past and to remain hopeful.

I say and to my peeps who passed away
The artist is sending a message to his friends who have died, letting them know he hasn't forgotten about them.

No woman, no cry, no woman no cry, say say say
The phrase 'No woman no cry' means that the absence of women in the artist's life will not make him cry.

Hey little sister don't shed no tears
The artist is comforting his little sister and telling her not to cry.

Say, say, say
This repeated phrase once again serves to build anticipation and create emphasis.

I remember when we used to rock in a project yard in Jersey
The artist recalls another time when he and his friends hung out in a public space, this time in Jersey.

And little Georgie would make the firelight
One of the artist's friends, named Georgie, would light a fire for them.

As stolen cars passed through the night
The group hung out as cars were stolen and driven through the area.

And then we'd hit the corner store for roots, paper, and brew, ooh
The group would run to the corner store to buy herbs, rolling papers, and beer.

My drink's my only remedy
The artist has turned to drinking as a way to cope with the pain of losing loved ones.

For pain of losing family, but while I'm gone shorty
The artist is telling his girlfriend that he'll be okay while he's away, despite the pain he feels.

Everything is gonna be alright, everything is gonna be alright
The artist is encouraging himself and others to have hope.

Fugees come to the dance tonight, everything is gonna be alright
A reference to the artist's former group, The Fugees. He's suggesting that their presence will make everything better.

The gun man's in the house tonight
Threatening language indicating that there may be violence at the party tonight.

But everything is gonna be alright
Despite the danger, the artist believes that everything will work out in the end.

(Oh ah oh ah) (Oh ah oh ah) Jersey's in here (Oh ah oh ah) Brooklyn's in here (Oh ah oh ah) (Oh ah oh ah) (Oh ah) I'm high (Oh ah oh ah) (Oh ah oh ah)
These are background sounds and ad-libs that don't necessarily have a clear meaning on their own.

No woman, no cry, no woman no cry
Once again, the artist reinforces the idea that he won't cry over women who aren't present in his life.

Hey little sister don't shed no tears
Repeating this line further reassures his sister that she shouldn't cry.

No woman no cry say, say, say
The repetition of this line is used to build emphasis and anticipation.

I remember when we used to sit in a government yard in Trench Town
The artist recalls a time in Trench Town, Jamaica, where they also hung out in a public space.

Obe-Observing the hypocrites as they mingled with the good people we meet
Once again, the artist notes the presence of corruption and hypocrisy in the area as they communicated with honest people.

Good friends we had, oh, good friends we've lost
The artist had many good friends in Trench Town, but many of them have died or moved away.

Along the way, hey
This phrase serves as an interjection, emphasizing the previous line and adding a sense of urgency.

In this great future you can't forget your past so dry your tears I say
The artist is advising listeners to remember their roots and not to forget that the past helps to shape the future.

And no woman no cry, no woman no cry say, say, say
The song ends with a final reminder of the artist's commitment to not crying over lost women.

Hey, little sister, don't shed no tears
The song concludes with a final comfort to the artist's little sister not to cry.

(Oh ah oh ah) (Oh ah oh ah) Where you at? (Oh ah oh ah) (Oh ah)
These final sounds are more ad-libs and don't necessarily add insight to the meaning of the song.