"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
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
Certifications
Warren G version
"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, though 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.
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.
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
Certifications
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Later samplings, allusions and covers
- On the 16 February 1977 episode of The Jacksons, "I Shot the Sheriff" was mashed up with "Cisco Kid" and was led by singer Michael Jackson in an old western bar scene.
- British band, Light of the World recorded a jazzed-up version in 1980.
- 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 put six up in the deputy" in the title track.
- In the 1994 hip hop mockumentary Fear of a Black Hat, a scene involving gangsta rapper Ice Cold (Rusty Cundieff) getting pulled over by a gated community’s security guard unit has one guard confiscating one of his registered guns and sarcastically says: "Let me guess…you shot the sheriff, but you didn’t shoot the deputy."
- On Erik Truffaz' 1998 album The Dawn, the final track "Free Stylin'" with vocals by Nya contains the lyric "Bob shot the sheriff; me, I come to finish the deputy."
- Screamin' Jay Hawkins, in At Last, 1998.
- Bob Marley's children "Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers" have performed the song during their concerts, most notably at Chiemsee Reggae Summer in Germany in July 2000.[citation needed]
- In 2000, the song was 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 The Simpsons episode #248 ("Behind the Laughter"), Marge Simpson performs the opening of the song as part of a nightclub act. She then tells her audience, "So next time you see a sheriff, shoot him.... a smile!"
- In The Sopranos episode 4.11 ("Calling All Cars"), which aired in 2002, Eric Clapton's rendition can be heard playing in the background when Tony Soprano is on the phone with Svetlana. Ten episodes earlier (in episode 4.1, "For All Debts Public and Private"), Tony had set up his protege Christopher Moltisanti to kill Detective Barry Haydu on the night of Haydu's retirement party.
- 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" (Women's World Day), when played alive on his Honestidad Brutal tour.
- In the song "Be Free" by Bob's son Ziggy Marley, a brief line in the song says: "I shot the deputy, now you know." Ziggy was four years old when his father's song was released.
- In the Eureka episode 'Reprise' (4.12), characters are acting out song lyrics, including Jo who shoots Carter under this song's influence.
- The song can be heard during a cut-scene in Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier (2012).
- Sheriff John Brown is mentioned in the song "Bad Boys" by reggae group Inner Circle.
- Drum and bass artst Roni Size released a remix of the song for the Legend: Remixed album in 2013.
- In 2014, production duo N.A.S.A. and singer Karen O covered the song, which was used in a Sonos commercial that aired during the Super Bowl.[52]
Cover versions in other languages
References
- ↑ I Shot The Sheriff at the Wayback Machine (archived 29 January 1998). Island Trading Inc. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
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- ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Eric Clapton – I Shot The Sheriff" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Eric Clapton – I Shot The Sheriff" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ CHART NUMBER 919 – Saturday, August 31, 1974 at the Wayback Machine (archived 7 November 2006). CHUM. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
- ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3841a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "Officialcharts.de – Eric Clapton – I Shot The Sheriff". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
- ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Eric Clapton - I Shot The Sheriff search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
- ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Eric Clapton – I Shot The Sheriff" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Eric Clapton – I Shot The Sheriff". VG-lista. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "Archive Chart: 1974-08-17" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ RECORD WORLD 1974 at the Wayback Machine (archived 28 June 2004). Record World. Geocities.com. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 "The Irish Charts – Search Results – I Shot the Sheriff". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- ↑ "Eric Clapton: Artist Chart History" Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
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- ↑ 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
- ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
- ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
- ↑ "Warren G: I Shot the Sheriff" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
- ↑ "Lescharts.com – Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
- ↑ "Officialcharts.de – Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
- ↑ 38.0 38.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
- ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
- ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff". VG-lista. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
- ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff". Singles Top 60. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
- ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
- ↑ "Archive Chart: 1997-02-22" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
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