No Woman, No Cry
by Bob Marley
🌟 Must-Learn Songs
Difficulty
★★☆☆☆
Tuning
Standard
Capo
None
One of the most beloved reggae songs ever written, from Bob Marley's 1974 album Natty Dread and immortalized on the 1975 Live! album. Built on a timeless four-chord progression with a distinctive descending bass line of C-G/B-Am-F in the verses, the song captures both heartbreak and hope through its gentle reggae rhythm and offbeat strumming feel. The famous keyboard riff adapted here for guitar makes this an excellent piece for developing chord transitions, bass line movement, and rhythmic control.
[Intro - Chorus Chords]
(Standard tuning, no capo)
(Reggae feel - emphasis on offbeats, let chords ring)
C G/B Am F
e|----0----------0----------0----------1---------|
B|----1----------0----------1----------1---------|
G|----0----------0----------2----------2---------|
D|----2----------0----------2----------3---------|
A|----3----------2----------0--------------------|
E|-------------------3------------------------------|
C F C G
e|----0----------1----------0----------3---------|
B|----1----------1----------1----------0---------|
G|----0----------2----------0----------0---------|
D|----2----------3----------2----------0---------|
A|----3---------------------3----------2---------|
E|-------------------------------------3---------|
[Intro - Keyboard Riff Adapted for Guitar]
(Play this melodic figure over C - G/B - Am - F)
C G/B Am F
e|--0--1--0---------0-----------0--1--0-------------------|
B|----------3--1------0--1--0-----------3--1--1--1--------|
G|----0---------0------0---------2-----------2--2--------|
D|----2---------0------0---------2-----------3--3--------|
A|----3---------2------2---------0--------------------------|
E|------------------3--------------------------------------|
C F C G
e|--0--1--0---------1--1-------0--1--0---------3---------|
B|----------3--1----1--1-----------3--1--0----0--0-------|
G|----0-------------2--2-------0--------------0--0-------|
D|----2-------------3--3-------2--------------0--0-------|
A|----3-------------------------3--------------2---------|
E|---------------------------------------------3---------|
[Chorus 1]
"No woman, no cry..."
(Offbeat reggae strum - hit on the 'and' beats)
C G/B Am F
e|----0---0------0---0------0---0------1---1-----|
B|----1---1------0---0------1---1------1---1-----|
G|----0---0------0---0------2---2------2---2-----|
D|----2---2------0---0------2---2------3---3-----|
A|----3---3------2---2------0---0----------------|
E|---------------3---3------------------------------|
"No woman, no cry..."
C F C G
e|----0---0------1---1------0---0------3---3-----|
B|----1---1------1---1------1---1------0---0-----|
G|----0---0------2---2------0---0------0---0-----|
D|----2---2------3---3------2---2------0---0-----|
A|----3---3------3---3------3---3------2---2-----|
E|-----------------------------------------3---3-----|
"No woman, no cry..."
C G/B Am F
e|----0---0------0---0------0---0------1---1-----|
B|----1---1------0---0------1---1------1---1-----|
G|----0---0------0---0------2---2------2---2-----|
D|----2---2------0---0------2---2------3---3-----|
A|----3---3------2---2------0---0----------------|
E|---------------3---3------------------------------|
"No woman, no cry..."
C F C G
e|----0---0------1---1------0---0------3---3-----|
B|----1---1------1---1------1---1------0---0-----|
G|----0---0------2---2------0---0------0---0-----|
D|----2---2------3---3------2---2------0---0-----|
A|----3---3------3---3------3---3------2---2-----|
E|-----------------------------------------3---3-----|
[Verse 1 - Descending Bass Line]
"Said, said, said I remember when we used to sit..."
(Note the descending bass: C to B to A to F)
C G/B Am F
e|------0----------0----------0-----------1------|
B|------1----------0----------1-----------1------|
G|------0----------0----------2-----------2------|
D|------2----------0----------2-----------3------|
A|------3----------2----------0------------------|
E|-------------------3------------------------------|
"In the government yard in Trenchtown..."
C G/B Am F
e|------0----------0----------0-----------1------|
B|------1----------0----------1-----------1------|
G|------0----------0----------2-----------2------|
D|------2----------0----------2-----------3------|
A|------3----------2----------0------------------|
E|-------------------3------------------------------|
"Oba, ob-serving the hypocrites..."
C G/B Am F
e|------0----------0----------0-----------1------|
B|------1----------0----------1-----------1------|
G|------0----------0----------2-----------2------|
D|------2----------0----------2-----------3------|
A|------3----------2----------0------------------|
E|-------------------3------------------------------|
"As they would mingle with the good people we meet..."
C G/B Am F
e|------0----------0----------0-----------1------|
B|------1----------0----------1-----------1------|
G|------0----------0----------2-----------2------|
D|------2----------0----------2-----------3------|
A|------3----------2----------0------------------|
E|-------------------3------------------------------|
"Good friends we have, oh good friends we\'ve lost..."
C G/B Am F
e|------0----------0----------0-----------1------|
B|------1----------0----------1-----------1------|
G|------0----------0----------2-----------2------|
D|------2----------0----------2-----------3------|
A|------3----------2----------0------------------|
E|-------------------3------------------------------|
"Along the way..."
C G/B Am F
e|------0----------0----------0-----------1------|
B|------1----------0----------1-----------1------|
G|------0----------0----------2-----------2------|
D|------2----------0----------2-----------3------|
A|------3----------2----------0------------------|
E|-------------------3------------------------------|
"In this great future you can\'t forget your past..."
C G/B Am F
e|------0----------0----------0-----------1------|
B|------1----------0----------1-----------1------|
G|------0----------0----------2-----------2------|
D|------2----------0----------2-----------3------|
A|------3----------2----------0------------------|
E|-------------------3------------------------------|
"So dry your tears, I say..."
C G/B Am F
e|------0----------0----------0-----------1------|
B|------1----------0----------1-----------1------|
G|------0----------0----------2-----------2------|
D|------2----------0----------2-----------3------|
A|------3----------2----------0------------------|
E|-------------------3------------------------------|
[Chorus 2]
"No woman, no cry..."
(Strumming builds slightly in intensity)
C G/B Am F
e|----0---0------0---0------0---0------1---1-----|
B|----1---1------0---0------1---1------1---1-----|
G|----0---0------0---0------2---2------2---2-----|
D|----2---2------0---0------2---2------3---3-----|
A|----3---3------2---2------0---0----------------|
E|---------------3---3------------------------------|
"No woman, no cry..."
C F C G
e|----0---0------1---1------0---0------3---3-----|
B|----1---1------1---1------1---1------0---0-----|
G|----0---0------2---2------0---0------0---0-----|
D|----2---2------3---3------2---2------0---0-----|
A|----3---3------3---3------3---3------2---2-----|
E|-----------------------------------------3---3-----|
"No woman, no cry..."
C G/B Am F
e|----0---0------0---0------0---0------1---1-----|
B|----1---1------0---0------1---1------1---1-----|
G|----0---0------0---0------2---2------2---2-----|
D|----2---2------0---0------2---2------3---3-----|
A|----3---3------2---2------0---0----------------|
E|---------------3---3------------------------------|
"No woman, no cry..."
C F C G
e|----0---0------1---1------0---0------3---3-----|
B|----1---1------1---1------1---1------0---0-----|
G|----0---0------2---2------0---0------0---0-----|
D|----2---2------3---3------2---2------0---0-----|
A|----3---3------3---3------3---3------2---2-----|
E|-----------------------------------------3---3-----|
[Verse 2 - Descending Bass Line]
"Said, said, said I remember when we used to sit..."
C G/B Am F
e|------0----------0----------0-----------1------|
B|------1----------0----------1-----------1------|
G|------0----------0----------2-----------2------|
D|------2----------0----------2-----------3------|
A|------3----------2----------0------------------|
E|-------------------3------------------------------|
"In the government yard in Trenchtown..."
C G/B Am F
e|------0----------0----------0-----------1------|
B|------1----------0----------1-----------1------|
G|------0----------0----------2-----------2------|
D|------2----------0----------2-----------3------|
A|------3----------2----------0------------------|
E|-------------------3------------------------------|
"And then Georgie would make the fire light..."
C G/B Am F
e|------0----------0----------0-----------1------|
B|------1----------0----------1-----------1------|
G|------0----------0----------2-----------2------|
D|------2----------0----------2-----------3------|
A|------3----------2----------0------------------|
E|-------------------3------------------------------|
"Log wood burnin\' through the night..."
C G/B Am F
e|------0----------0----------0-----------1------|
B|------1----------0----------1-----------1------|
G|------0----------0----------2-----------2------|
D|------2----------0----------2-----------3------|
A|------3----------2----------0------------------|
E|-------------------3------------------------------|
"Then we would cook cornmeal porridge..."
C G/B Am F
e|------0----------0----------0-----------1------|
B|------1----------0----------1-----------1------|
G|------0----------0----------2-----------2------|
D|------2----------0----------2-----------3------|
A|------3----------2----------0------------------|
E|-------------------3------------------------------|
"Of which I\'ll share with you..."
C G/B Am F
e|------0----------0----------0-----------1------|
B|------1----------0----------1-----------1------|
G|------0----------0----------2-----------2------|
D|------2----------0----------2-----------3------|
A|------3----------2----------0------------------|
E|-------------------3------------------------------|
"My feet is my only carriage..."
C G/B Am F
e|------0----------0----------0-----------1------|
B|------1----------0----------1-----------1------|
G|------0----------0----------2-----------2------|
D|------2----------0----------2-----------3------|
A|------3----------2----------0------------------|
E|-------------------3------------------------------|
"So I\'ve got to push on through, but while I\'m gone..."
C G/B Am F
e|------0----------0----------0-----------1------|
B|------1----------0----------1-----------1------|
G|------0----------0----------2-----------2------|
D|------2----------0----------2-----------3------|
A|------3----------2----------0------------------|
E|-------------------3------------------------------|
[Chorus 3]
"Everything\'s gonna be alright..."
(Full conviction, strum with feeling)
C G/B Am F
e|----0---0------0---0------0---0------1---1-----|
B|----1---1------0---0------1---1------1---1-----|
G|----0---0------0---0------2---2------2---2-----|
D|----2---2------0---0------2---2------3---3-----|
A|----3---3------2---2------0---0----------------|
E|---------------3---3------------------------------|
"Everything\'s gonna be alright..."
C F C G
e|----0---0------1---1------0---0------3---3-----|
B|----1---1------1---1------1---1------0---0-----|
G|----0---0------2---2------0---0------0---0-----|
D|----2---2------3---3------2---2------0---0-----|
A|----3---3------3---3------3---3------2---2-----|
E|-----------------------------------------3---3-----|
"No woman, no cry..."
C G/B Am F
e|----0---0------0---0------0---0------1---1-----|
B|----1---1------0---0------1---1------1---1-----|
G|----0---0------0---0------2---2------2---2-----|
D|----2---2------0---0------2---2------3---3-----|
A|----3---3------2---2------0---0----------------|
E|---------------3---3------------------------------|
"No woman, no cry..."
C F C G
e|----0---0------1---1------0---0------3---3-----|
B|----1---1------1---1------1---1------0---0-----|
G|----0---0------2---2------0---0------0---0-----|
D|----2---2------3---3------2---2------0---0-----|
A|----3---3------3---3------3---3------2---2-----|
E|-----------------------------------------3---3-----|
[Guitar Solo / Instrumental]
(Melodic solo over verse chords - keyboard riff on guitar)
(Play expressively with slides and hammer-ons)
C G/B
e|--0--1--3--5--3--1--0-------0h1--0-------------|
B|--1------------------3--1---------3--1--0------|
G|--0----------------------------0---------0----|
D|--2-------------------0--------0--------------|
A|--3-------------------2-----------------------|
E|----------------------3-----------------------|
Am F
e|--0--1--3--5/7--5--3--1--0-----1--0-----------|
B|--1----------------------------1-----3--1-----|
G|--2----------------------------2---------2----|
D|--2----------------------------3--------------|
A|--0----------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|
C G/B
e|--3--5--7--8--7--5--3---0h1--3--1--0----------|
B|--1----------------------------0-----3--1-----|
G|--0----------------------------0---------0----|
D|--2-------------------0-----------------------|
A|--3-------------------2-----------------------|
E|----------------------3-----------------------|
Am F
e|--5/8~--8p5--3--1--0-----1--3--1--0-----------|
B|--1--------------------------1--------3~------|
G|--2--------------------------2----------------|
D|--2--------------------------3----------------|
A|--0----------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|
C F
e|--0--1--3--5--3--1--3--1--0-------1--0--------|
B|--1------------------------------1-----3--1---|
G|--0------------------------------2-----------|
D|--2------------------------------3-----------|
A|--3------------------------------3-----------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|
C G
e|--0h1--3--5--3--1--0---------3--0-------------|
B|--1------------------3--1----0-----3--0-------|
G|--0-----------------------------0-------------|
D|--2-----------------------------0-------------|
A|--3-----------------------------2-------------|
E|---------------------------------3-------------|
[Verse 3 - Descending Bass Line]
"Said, said, said I remember when we used to sit..."
C G/B Am F
e|------0----------0----------0-----------1------|
B|------1----------0----------1-----------1------|
G|------0----------0----------2-----------2------|
D|------2----------0----------2-----------3------|
A|------3----------2----------0------------------|
E|-------------------3------------------------------|
"In the government yard in Trenchtown..."
C G/B Am F
e|------0----------0----------0-----------1------|
B|------1----------0----------1-----------1------|
G|------0----------0----------2-----------2------|
D|------2----------0----------2-----------3------|
A|------3----------2----------0------------------|
E|-------------------3------------------------------|
"And then Georgie would make the fire light..."
C G/B Am F
e|------0----------0----------0-----------1------|
B|------1----------0----------1-----------1------|
G|------0----------0----------2-----------2------|
D|------2----------0----------2-----------3------|
A|------3----------2----------0------------------|
E|-------------------3------------------------------|
"Log wood burnin\' through the night..."
C G/B Am F
e|------0----------0----------0-----------1------|
B|------1----------0----------1-----------1------|
G|------0----------0----------2-----------2------|
D|------2----------0----------2-----------3------|
A|------3----------2----------0------------------|
E|-------------------3------------------------------|
"Then we would cook cornmeal porridge..."
C G/B Am F
e|------0----------0----------0-----------1------|
B|------1----------0----------1-----------1------|
G|------0----------0----------2-----------2------|
D|------2----------0----------2-----------3------|
A|------3----------2----------0------------------|
E|-------------------3------------------------------|
"Of which I\'ll share with you..."
C G/B Am F
e|------0----------0----------0-----------1------|
B|------1----------0----------1-----------1------|
G|------0----------0----------2-----------2------|
D|------2----------0----------2-----------3------|
A|------3----------2----------0------------------|
E|-------------------3------------------------------|
"My feet is my only carriage..."
C G/B Am F
e|------0----------0----------0-----------1------|
B|------1----------0----------1-----------1------|
G|------0----------0----------2-----------2------|
D|------2----------0----------2-----------3------|
A|------3----------2----------0------------------|
E|-------------------3------------------------------|
"So I\'ve got to push on through, but while I\'m gone..."
C G/B Am F
e|------0----------0----------0-----------1------|
B|------1----------0----------1-----------1------|
G|------0----------0----------2-----------2------|
D|------2----------0----------2-----------3------|
A|------3----------2----------0------------------|
E|-------------------3------------------------------|
[Chorus 4 - Full Intensity]
"Everything\'s gonna be alright..."
(Full strumming, build to climax)
C G/B Am F
e|----0---0------0---0------0---0------1---1-----|
B|----1---1------0---0------1---1------1---1-----|
G|----0---0------0---0------2---2------2---2-----|
D|----2---2------0---0------2---2------3---3-----|
A|----3---3------2---2------0---0----------------|
E|---------------3---3------------------------------|
"Everything\'s gonna be alright..."
C F C G
e|----0---0------1---1------0---0------3---3-----|
B|----1---1------1---1------1---1------0---0-----|
G|----0---0------2---2------0---0------0---0-----|
D|----2---2------3---3------2---2------0---0-----|
A|----3---3------3---3------3---3------2---2-----|
E|-----------------------------------------3---3-----|
"No woman, no cry..."
C G/B Am F
e|----0---0------0---0------0---0------1---1-----|
B|----1---1------0---0------1---1------1---1-----|
G|----0---0------0---0------2---2------2---2-----|
D|----2---2------0---0------2---2------3---3-----|
A|----3---3------2---2------0---0----------------|
E|---------------3---3------------------------------|
"No woman, no cry..."
C F C G
e|----0---0------1---1------0---0------3---3-----|
B|----1---1------1---1------1---1------0---0-----|
G|----0---0------2---2------0---0------0---0-----|
D|----2---2------3---3------2---2------0---0-----|
A|----3---3------3---3------3---3------2---2-----|
E|-----------------------------------------3---3-----|
[Outro - Repeating Chorus, Fade]
"No woman, no cry... No woman, no cry..."
(Repeat and gradually fade out)
C G/B Am F
e|----0---0------0---0------0---0------1---1-----|
B|----1---1------0---0------1---1------1---1-----|
G|----0---0------0---0------2---2------2---2-----|
D|----2---2------0---0------2---2------3---3-----|
A|----3---3------2---2------0---0----------------|
E|---------------3---3------------------------------|
"No woman, no cry..."
C F C G
e|----0---0------1---1------0---0------3---3-----|
B|----1---1------1---1------1---1------0---0-----|
G|----0---0------2---2------0---0------0---0-----|
D|----2---2------3---3------2---2------0---0-----|
A|----3---3------3---3------3---3------2---2-----|
E|-----------------------------------------3---3-----|
"No woman, no cry..." (fading)
C G/B Am F
e|----0---0------0---0------0---0------1---1-----|
B|----1---1------0---0------1---1------1---1-----|
G|----0---0------0---0------2---2------2---2-----|
D|----2---2------0---0------2---2------3---3-----|
A|----3---3------2---2------0---0----------------|
E|---------------3---3------------------------------|
"No woman, no cry..." (fading out)
C F C~
e|----0---0------1---1------0~-----------------------|
B|----1---1------1---1------1~-----------------------|
G|----0---0------2---2------0~-----------------------|
D|----2---2------3---3------2~-----------------------|
A|----3---3------3---3------3~-----------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------|
(Let ring and fade)