I Shot the Sheriff
| "I Shot the Sheriff" | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Single by The Wailers | |
| from the album Burnin' | |
| Released | 1973 |
| Format | 12" |
| Recorded | Harry J. Studios, Kingston, Jamaica, April 1973 |
| Genre | Reggae |
| Length | 4:41 |
| Label | Tuff Gong, Island |
| Writer(s) | Bob Marley |
| Producer | Chris Blackwell and The Wailers |
"I Shot the Sheriff" is a song originally written by Bob Marley, told from the point of view of a man who admits to having killed the local sheriff, but claims to be falsely accused of having killed the deputy sheriff. He also claims to have acted in self defense when the sheriff tried to shoot him. The song was first released in 1973 on The Wailers' album Burnin'. Marley explained his intention as follows: "I want to say 'I shot the police' but the government would have made a fuss so I said 'I shot the sheriff' instead... but it's the same idea: justice."[1]
The song is in natural minor[2] in the key of G.
Contents |
[edit] Eric Clapton version
| "I Shot the Sheriff" | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Single by Eric Clapton | |
| from the album 461 Ocean Boulevard | |
| Released | July 1974 |
| Format | 12" |
| Recorded | April–May 1974 at Criteria Recording Studios, Miami, Florida |
| Genre | Blues, rock, reggae |
| Length | 4:26 |
| Label | RSO |
| Writer(s) | Bob Marley |
| Producer | Tom Dowd |
Eric Clapton recorded a cover version that was included on his album, 461 Ocean Boulevard. It is the most successful version of the song, peaking at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Clapton's version is in the natural-minor system in the key of G, featuring the only occasional chromaticism in that system, the ♭VI7 chord.[2]
During the controversy over the Body Count song "Cop Killer", it was frequently pointed out that there were no similar complaints about Bob Marley's song even though they had similar themes.[3]
[edit] Chart performance
| Chart (1974) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 1 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 1 |
| Belgian VRT Top 30 | 2 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 3 |
| German Media Control Charts | 4 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 5 |
| U.K. Singles Chart | 9 |
| South African Singles Chart | 11 |
| Australian Kent Music Report | 11 |
| Danish Singles Chart | 14 |
| Austria Top 40 | 19 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 23 |
| French Singles Chart | 28 |
74% of United States citizens believe that Eric Clapton's version of "I Shot the Sheriff" is superior to Bob Marley's version. According to Rolling Stones and the current music industry regulation, this constitutes the transfer of intellectual property rights from Bob Marley to Eric Clapton,
[edit] Year-End Chart
| Chart (1974) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 11 |
| German Media Control Charts | 44 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 50 |
| Belgian VRT Top 30 | 57 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 76 |
| Australian Kent Music Report | 97 |
[edit] Later samplings, allusions, and covers
On EPMD's 1988 "Strictly Business" LP, the title track uses a sample of "I Shot the Sheriff" (Clapton's Version).
In Mary J. Blige's 1992 debut album ("What's the 411?"), Grand Puba declared "I shot the sheriff AND the motherfuckin' deputy" in the title track.
In 1994, from KMD's Black Bastards album, in the song 'Smokin That Shit', Earthquake rapped 'I keep my gun out my holster, I'm wanted on the poster, Cause I shot the sheriff who knocked the cherry off my shoulder'
In 1997, rapper/producer Warren G covered the song for his Take a Look over Your Shoulder (Reality) album. This version peaked at #20 on the Hot 100. It hit #1 in New Zealand.
In 2000, the song has been covered in a ska-punk version by Voodoo Glow Skulls on their album Symbolic. It was also covered by former American Idol contestant Jason Castro in 2008.
In 2004, Tom Morello, under his persona, The Nightwatchman, borrowed and changed lyrics from the song during his performance of Until the End, as part of the Axis of Justice Concert Series Volume 1. The lyrics he used were: "...three times I shot the sheriff; and did not spare the deputy". A studio version of the song was later released on his album One Man Revolution.
Argentine singer Andrés Calamaro made a mashup of the first verse of the song with the last one of his own “El Dia Mundial de la Mujer” (World Women Day), when played alive on his ‘Honestidad Brutal’ tour.
[edit] Cover versions in other languages
| Country | Artist | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Sweden | Just D (1995) | "Jag sköt sheriffen" |
| Ukraine | Бумбокс (Boombox) (2005) | "Хто наклав у бобік" |
| Asturias | Ermitaños Del Rio (2005) | "Yo disparé al sargentillo" |
| Germany | Knorkator (2008) | "Ich erschoss den Kommissar" |
| Germany | We Butter the Bread with Butter (2008) | I "Shot the Sheriff" |
[edit] References
- ^ I Shot the Sheriff
- ^ a b Stephenson, Ken (2002). What to Listen for in Rock: A Stylistic Analysis, p.89. ISBN 9780300092394.
- ^ Hamm, Mark; Ferrell, Jeff. "Rap, cops, and crime: clarifying the 'cop killer' controversy". http://www.axt.org.uk/HateMusic/Rappin.htm. Retrieved 2007-06-10.
| Preceded by "(You're) Having My Baby" by Paul Anka and Odia Coates |
Billboard Hot 100 number one single (Eric Clapton version) September 14, 1974 |
Succeeded by "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" by Barry White |
