I Shot the Sheriff

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"I Shot the Sheriff"
File:I shotthesheriff.jpg
Single by The Wailers
from the album Burnin'
Released 1973
Format 12" single
Recorded April 1973, Harry J. Studios, Kingston, Jamaica
Genre Reggae
Length 4:41
Label
Writer(s) Bob Marley
Producer(s)

"I Shot the Sheriff" is a song written by Bob Marley and released in 1973. It has been covered by Eric Clapton and Warren G.

Theme

The story is told from the point of view of a narrator who admits to having killed the local sheriff, and claims to be falsely accused of having killed the deputy sheriff. The narrator 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]

In 1992, with the controversy surrounding the Ice-T heavy metal song "Cop Killer", Marley's song was often cited by Ice-T's supporters as evidence of his detractors' hypocrisy considering the older song was never similarly criticized despite having much the same theme.[2]

In 2012, Bob Marley's former girlfriend revealed the origin of the lyrics. To the surprise of many, she explained 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" was actually in response to the fact that Marley was very opposed to her use of birth control pills. Marley's opposition to birth control led Marley to substitute the word "sheriff" for "doctor".[3]

Eric Clapton version

"I Shot the Sheriff"
File:EC - ISTS.jpg
Single by Eric Clapton
from the album 461 Ocean Boulevard
Released July 1974
Format 12" single
Recorded
Genre
Length
  • 4:26 (album version)
  • 3:30 (single version)
Label RSO
Writer(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 belongs to the musical genres of soft rock[4] and reggae.[5] It is the most successful cover 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

  1. ↑ I Shot The Sheriff at the Wayback Machine (archived 29 January 1998). Island Trading Inc. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Eric Clapton – I Shot The Sheriff" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  9. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Eric Clapton – I Shot The Sheriff" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ CHART NUMBER 919 – Saturday, August 31, 1974 at the Wayback Machine (archived 7 November 2006). CHUM. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  12. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3841a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ "Officialcharts.de – Eric Clapton – I Shot The Sheriff". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  15. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Eric Clapton - I Shot The Sheriff search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  16. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Eric Clapton – I Shot The Sheriff" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Eric Clapton – I Shot The Sheriff". VG-lista. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ "Archive Chart: 1974-08-17" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending SEPTEMBER 7, 1974 at the Wayback Machine (archived 3 October 2012). Cash Box magazine. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  23. ↑ RECORD WORLD 1974 at the Wayback Machine (archived 28 June 2004). Record World. Geocities.com. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "The Irish Charts – Search Results – I Shot the Sheriff". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  25. ↑ "Eric Clapton: Artist Chart History" Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
  31. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  32. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  33. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  34. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  35. ↑ "Warren G: I Shot the Sheriff" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  36. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  37. ↑ "Officialcharts.de – Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  40. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  41. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff". VG-lista. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  42. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff". Singles Top 60. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  43. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  44. ↑ "Archive Chart: 1997-02-22" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 45.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  46. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  47. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  48. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  49. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  50. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
  51. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  52. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  53. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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