Not Gon' Cry
Mary J. Blige · Share My World
[verse 1]
While all the time that I was loving you
You were busy loving yourself
I would stop breathing if you told me to
Now you're busy loving someone else
Eleven years out of my life
Besides the kids, I have nothing to show
Wasted my years, a fool of a wife
I should have left your ass long time ago
[chorus]
Well I'm not gon' cry
I'm not gon' cry
I'm not gon' shed no tears
No I'm not gon' cry
It's not the time
'Cause you're not worth my tears
[verse 2]
I was your lover and your secretary
Working every day of the week
Was at the job when no one else was there
Helping you get on your feet
Eleven years of sacrifice
And you can leave me at the drop of a dime
Swallowed my fears - stood by your side
I should've left your ass a thousand times
[chorus]
Well I'm not gon' cry
I'm not gon' cry
I'm not gon' shed no tears
No I'm not gon' cry
It's not the time
'Cause you're not worth my tears
[bridge]
I know there are no guarantees
In love you take your chances
But somehow it seems unfair to me
Look at the circumstances
Through sickness and health
'Til death do us part
Those were the words that we said from our heart
So now when you say that you're leaving me
I don't get that part
I was your lover and your secretary
Working every day of the week
Was at the job when no one else was there
Helping you get on your feet
Eleven years of sacrifice
And you can leave me at the drop of a dime
Swallowed my fears - stood by your side
I should've left your ass a thousand times
[chorus]
Well I'm not gon' cry
I'm not gon' cry
I'm not gon' shed no tears
No I'm not gon' cry
It's not the time
'Cause you were never worth my tears
While all the time that I was loving you
You were busy loving yourself
I would stop breathing if you told me to
Now you're busy loving someone else
Eleven years out of my life
Besides the kids, I have nothing to show
Wasted my years, a fool of a wife
I should have left your ass long time ago
[chorus]
Well I'm not gon' cry
I'm not gon' cry
I'm not gon' shed no tears
No I'm not gon' cry
It's not the time
'Cause you're not worth my tears
[verse 2]
I was your lover and your secretary
Working every day of the week
Was at the job when no one else was there
Helping you get on your feet
Eleven years of sacrifice
And you can leave me at the drop of a dime
Swallowed my fears - stood by your side
I should've left your ass a thousand times
[chorus]
Well I'm not gon' cry
I'm not gon' cry
I'm not gon' shed no tears
No I'm not gon' cry
It's not the time
'Cause you're not worth my tears
[bridge]
I know there are no guarantees
In love you take your chances
But somehow it seems unfair to me
Look at the circumstances
Through sickness and health
'Til death do us part
Those were the words that we said from our heart
So now when you say that you're leaving me
I don't get that part
I was your lover and your secretary
Working every day of the week
Was at the job when no one else was there
Helping you get on your feet
Eleven years of sacrifice
And you can leave me at the drop of a dime
Swallowed my fears - stood by your side
I should've left your ass a thousand times
[chorus]
Well I'm not gon' cry
I'm not gon' cry
I'm not gon' shed no tears
No I'm not gon' cry
It's not the time
'Cause you were never worth my tears
Not Gon' Cry
Mary J. Blige's 'Not Gon' Cry' stands as a defining track from her 1997 album 'Share My World,' solidifying her status as the 'Empress of Hip-Hop Soul.' Recorded during the height of her neo-soul and R&B dominance, the song blends gritty vocal delivery with a sample-driven beat that became a staple of the genre. Released alongside her breakthrough work, the recording exemplifies Blige's signature ability to merge emotional depth with contemporary hip-hop influences. It remains a cornerstone of her discography, frequently covered and referenced in discussions of 90s soul music, capturing the raw vulnerability and rhythmic complexity that characterized her early career peak.