I Shot the Sheriff
"I Shot the Sheriff" | |
---|---|
Single by Bob Marley and the Wailers | |
from the album Burnin' | |
Released | 1973 |
Recorded | April 1973 |
Studio | Harry J. Studios, Kingston, Jamaica |
Genre | Reggae |
Length | 4:41 |
Label | |
Songwriter(s) | Bob Marley |
Producer(s) |
|
"I Shot the Sheriff" is a song written by Bob Marley and released in 1973 by Bob Marley and the Wailers.
Bob Marley and the Wailers version
The narrator 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]
In 1992, with the controversy surrounding the Ice-T song "Cop Killer", Marley's song was often cited by Ice-T's supporters as evidence of his detractors' hypocrisy, considering that the older song was never similarly criticized despite having much the same theme.[2]
In 2012, Marley's former girlfriend Esther Anderson claimed that the lyrics, "Sheriff John Brown always hated me / For what, I don't know / Every time I plant a seed / He said, 'Kill it before it grow'" are actually about Marley being very opposed to her use of birth control pills; Marley supposedly substituted the word "doctor" with sheriff.[3]
Eric Clapton version
"I Shot the Sheriff" | |
---|---|
Single by Eric Clapton | |
from the album 461 Ocean Boulevard | |
Released | 1974 |
Genre | |
Length |
|
Label | RSO |
Songwriter(s) | Bob Marley |
Producer(s) | Tom Dowd |
Eric Clapton recorded a cover version that was included on his 1974 album 461 Ocean Boulevard. His take on the song has a soft rock[4] and reggae sound.[5] It is the most successful version of the song, peaking at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2003, Clapton's version was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.[6]
Chart performance
Weekly charts
Chart (1974) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] | 11 |
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[8] | 19 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] | 7 |
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10] | 1 |
Invalid chart entered Germany2 | 4 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[11] | 5 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[12] | 5 |
New Zealand[13] | 1 |
Norway (VG-lista)[14] | 3 |
South Africa (Springbok)[15] | 9 |
Spain (AFYVE)[16] | 12 |
UK Singles (OCC)[17] | 9 |
US Billboard Hot 100[18] | 1 |
US Billboard Hot Soul Singles[18] | 33 |
US Cash Box[19] | 1 |
US Record World[20] | 1 |
Chart (1982) | Peak position |
---|---|
Ireland (IRMA)[21] | 23 |
UK Singles (OCC)[22] | 64 |
Year-end charts
Chart (1974) | Position |
---|---|
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[23] | 58 |
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[24] | 11 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[25] | 50 |
US Billboard Hot 100[26] | 76 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA)[27] | Gold | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Warren G version
"I Shot the Sheriff" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Warren G | ||||
from the album Take a Look Over Your Shoulder | ||||
Released | 1997 | |||
Genre | Hip hop | |||
Length | 4:10 | |||
Label | Def Jam | |||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) | Warren G | |||
Warren G singles chronology | ||||
|
"I Shot the Sheriff" was the lead single released from Warren G's second album, Take a Look Over Your Shoulder. Warren replaced Marley's original lyrics with his own, although Clapton's version of the song is sampled and R&B singer Nancy Fletcher sings the original chorus. The song was a hit in several countries. In the US, it peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified Gold by the RIAA on 2 May 1997. It peaked at number two in the UK and at number one in New Zealand.[28][29]
The official remix was produced by EPMD member Erick Sermon, it is based around EPMD's "Strictly Business", which also sampled Clapton's version of the song.[citation needed]
Charts and certifications
- Single chart usages for Germany2
- 1973 songs
- 1973 singles
- 1974 singles
- 1997 singles
- Bob Marley songs
- Songs about police officers
- Songs about death
- Songs about police brutality
- Criticism of police brutality
- Def Jam Recordings singles
- Eric Clapton songs
- Warren G songs
- Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
- Number-one singles in New Zealand
- Island Records singles
- Protest songs
- RPM Top Singles number-one singles
- RSO Records singles
- Song recordings produced by Tom Dowd
- Songs written by Bob Marley
- UK R&B Singles Chart number-one singles