Darryl Cherney was kind enough to send me his lyrics for posting. He wants to emphasize that he believes the history reflected in the lyrics is now correct, and would like to hear from anybody who feels otherwise.

No Reggae No Cry new words by Darryl Cherney; to the tune of No Woman No Cry by Bob Marley

I remember when we used to play
At the Fireman’s hall in G’ville
Until somebody burned it to the ground
Out of ashes was born the Mateel

The benefits moved to the Octogon
To the vets hall and the grange
But for a world beat show they were too small
To raise more than pocket change

No Reggae no cry, No Reggae no cry
Humboldt hippie, don’t shed no tears
No Reggae no cry

So Carol B. went down to French’s camp
To put some Reggae on the River
To fund a hall, the Arthur’s helped us out
It seemed that Reggae would deliver

With PB’s trees we milled some the wood
He’ll be happy to remind us
With volunteers we built the Taj Mateel
Our hall-ess days were now behind us

Everything’s gonna be alright
Everything’s gonna be alright
Everything’s gonna be alright
Everything’s gonna be alright

No Reggae no cry, No Reggae no cry
Bay area dready, don’t shed no tears
No Reggae no Cry

The next few years, the Reggae profits grew
But the pay was not worth self-destruction
And so PB and Carol and Doug Green
Left the hall to form People Productions

And Reggae grew from 1 day, to 2, to 3
As the Ganja kept getting finer
Listen to Jimmy, to Ziggy, Rod and Toots
The price went up with each Headliner

No Reggae no cry, No Reggae no cry
Coordinators and crew, don’t shed no tears
No Reggae no cry

Then PB said, we’ve outgrown French’s camp
The venue problems are systemic
And as the talks with the Arthurs fell apart
He quit to represent Tom Dimmick

While the Mateel Board was starting to burn out
Then for two years there was no money
So Taunya Stapp she wrote the Redwood Times
Not everyone thought this was funny

No Reggae no cry, No Reggae no cry
Good people of Piercy don’t shed no tears
No Reggae no cry

A war of words was raging in the press
And so they went to mediation
And when it failed, the audit was released
And Dimmick withdrew his location

PB howled, Carol she just cried
While Doug Green went to put his Boots on
A civil war has broke out in this town
Tell me which side are your roots on?

Everything’s gonna be alright
Everything’s gonna be alright
Everything’s gonna be alright
Everything’s gonna be alright

No Reggae no cry, No Reggae no cry
Humboldt Nation (Mateel Community Center
People Productions, Chamber of Commerce) Don’t shed no tears
No Reggae no cry

About these ads