I Shot The Sheriff by Eric Clapton

Album: 461 Ocean Boulevard (1974)

Charted: 9 1

License This Song

lyrics

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

"I Shot The Sheriff" was written and originally recorded by Bob Marley in 1973. Eric Clapton heard it when a member of his band, guitarist George Terry, played the Bob Marley album Burnin' for him and convinced him to record the song.
Eric Clapton was part of the seminal bands Cream, Blind Faith, The Yardbirds and Derek & The Dominos. He also had a very successful solo career, but his only #1 on the Hot 100, either with a band or solo, was his cover of "I Shot The Sheriff." He came close in 1992 with "Tears In Heaven," which reached #2.
After Clapton recorded this song, he didn't want to release it, not because of cultural appropriation concerns (this was 1974, remember), but because he didn't think he could do it justice. His band members loved what they did with the song, but they were Americans, and Clapton, being English, had a different take.

"Ska, bluebeat, and reggae were familiar mediums to me," he wrote in Clapton: The Autobiography. "I had grown up hearing them in the clubs and on teh radio because of England's growing communities of West Indians, but it was quite noew to the Americans, and they weren't as finicky as I was about the way it should be played. Not that I knew myself how to play it, I just knew we weren't doing it right."

But the consensus in the studio was, the song was a hit, so Clapton agreed to include it on the album they were making, 461 Ocean Boulevard. His record label also pegged it as a hit and released it as the first single. "To my utter astonishment it went straight to #1," Clapton wrote.
Clapton didn't meet Bob Marley until much later, but soon after the song was released they talked on the phone. As Clapton explained, "I tried to ask him what the song was all about, but couldn't understand much of his reply. I was just relieved that he liked what we had done."

As for what the song is about, it tells the story of a young man in Marley's Jamaica who is wrongly accused of shooting the deputy. The sheriff goes after him, so he shoots the sheriff, presumably in self-defense. According to Marley, the song deals with police brutality in the ghettos of Jamaica, where the young men are assumed to be criminals.
Clapton kept the underlying reggae beat from Marley's original, but made it more of a rock song, with prominent organ and guitar. In America, reggae was big around this time - in 1972, "I Can See Clearly Now" by Johnny Nash became the first song of that genre to hit #1 in the States. For listeners craving just a touch of reggae with their rock, Clapton's "I Shot The Sheriff" hit the sweet spot.

Clapton was not the last white artist to top the chart with a reggae song: Blondie did it in 1981 with "The Tide Is High," originally recorded by the Jamaican group The Paragons.
The female backing singer on this track is Yvonne Elliman, who three years later had a #1 hit with the disco song "If I Can't Have You." Other musicians on "I Shot The Sheriff" are:

Carl Radle - bass
Jamie Oldaker - drums
Dick Sims - organ
Albhy Galuten - piano
George Terry - guitar, backing vocals
Clapton released another reggae song called "Don't Blame Me," on his next album, There's One In Every Crowd, which he said was "sort of a sequel to 'I Shot The Sheriff.'" This one he wrote with his guitarist, George Terry, the same guy who convinced him to cover "I Shot The Sheriff." Clapton wasn't happy with it. "It felt like we were milking a formula," he wrote. "Which in effect was what we were doing, and that almost always backfires."

Comments: 32

Shiloh from Phoenix, Azthe fact that Clapton recorded this is kind of funny, considering it's a Black power song and Clapton is pretty white. Though to be fair, Bob did credit Eric for making him famous outside of Jamaica.
Barb from Fall BranchLove the 70,s
Anon from Louisville The original songwriter sold the rights to that song back in 1970s.
Travler from West-by-godSee if you can find the DVD.... "Eric Clapton and Friends" from 1986! With Phil Collins on drums...Nathan East on bass and Greg Phillinganes on keyboards! This is without a doubt some of Claptons and Collins greatest work! And the best rendition of... "That Song"!!! Clapton is sober and at his very best....does not disappoint !!!
AnonymousQ/A who shot the deputy the sheriff did that's why they shot the sheriff at least that what I think
Kawa from Tokyo, JapanHi Music lovers,

I was wondering that Why Eric was picking the reggae music like this and made an album,'461 Ocean Boulevard' in 1974 While he must have been in hospital or someplace to get out of a bad habit as a drug and alcohol addiction.
I think he must have found something interesting for him While he had been under medical treatment during 1971?????? If so, What was that ? What did he find ? I think what he found or notice something made him produced '461' and covered 'I Shot The Sheriff', a reggae song !

To be continued,
Dynama from Ohio, UsaThis song introduced me to reggae. I joke that this song contains one of the biggest mysteries in rock/pop music: Who shot the deputy? ("I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy.")

"Every time I plant a seed, he says 'kill it before it grows,'" I've always taken that as very violent and hateful.
Stevie from Weehawken, NjThere's a great video on youtube of an 11 minute version of I shot the sheriff. More reggae sounding and incredible guitar work. I think Clapton's been great since Mayall's Blues Breakers to today!
Camille from Toronto, OhI liked the song in its heyday, but I would pass on it these days. Sung too slow and of course the lyrics are plain strange. Learning that it was written by Bob Marley does shed some light on the concept of the song. Lay Down Sally is okay since it has a faster beat, but Tears In Heaven....it's not a song I ever listened to all the way through. Too depressing. The slowed up version of Layla should NEVER have been recorded as the original is one of the most rockin-est, epic songs ever.
Bob from York, MtI think the song is about a inncoent man who shot a sherrif in self deffense because if he had purpossfully killed the sherrif he would of shot the deputy to
David from Woburn, Ma@Steve from Arlington Heights, HOW CAN YOU NOT RESPECT CLAPTON???? Sure, I'll agree that his solo career wasn't terribly spectacular since it was marred with alcoholism and other rampant drug use, but his work with Cream and Derrick & the Dominoes is more than enough to earn the praise he's received. Even more recently (now that's he's clean) his work is once again blues-based steller work.
Paul from Detroit, MiLoved this song. FWIW: I detested Lay Down Sally. The most annoying song ever recorded.
Adam from Oxford, AlAnyone who can no trespect both of these artist for the respective contributions to music,regardless of like or dislike for there music,needs a check up on there history! Both were influential to whole generations of people. Marley was influential to a whole religion and Eric was worshiped as if he were a god! So i would say that neither were inferior to the other, but both were equally popular in there respective genres as well as throughout world!!
Bubba from Reno, NvTo girl, anywhere, MI: yes its clapton's voice. Personally i think it sounds nothing like Bob Marley's voice in this version.
Nady from Adelaide, Australiahmmm....nah coud never really get into this song..it's too ???? I dunno I just think he was better with Cream. Though I do absolutley adore Clapton, worthy of worship CLAPTON IS GOD!!!mwahhahahahaha
Maxine from Kingston, OtherMisinformation in another comment: I'm Jamaican, living in Jamaica, and no, we do not get Bob Marley's Birthday off as a national holiday. I wish.
Andrew from Birmingham, United StatesThis sounds like a really slowed disco. Didn't Eric Clapton make "New Sheriff in Town" as a sequel to "I Shot the Sheriff"? I haven't heard "New Sheriff in Town" in like, forever.
Len from Raleigh, NcI think Clapton was at his best with Cream,Crossroads guitar solo was the best he ever wrote.
Linda from Poplar Bluff, MoWe had so many famous people thru our town in the 60s Eric was one of them, he had two girlfriends here and one of them was Santana girlfriend to. when the sheriffs daughter had a baby we sung it like this "I didn't shoot the sheriff but I got his daughter pregnant anyway" The pregnant girl told the other girlfriend she wish Eric wrote Layla for her; and Debby said he didn't write it for ME, I wrote it for HIM!
Brandon from Peoria, IlJohn from MD...i don't understand how you can say that Bob Marley was an inferior artist. Noone else in the world has moved an entire nation to the point of revolution because of their music...noone but Bob Marley that is. He was way more than a musician, he was a politician. During a Jamaican presidential election (I think) Marley offered to play during a convention for one of the canidates, and that canidate ended up winning. Marley is VERY influential. Jamaicans get his BIRTHDAY off work. Do WE get Eric Clapton's Birthday off work? Do the Brits? NOPE! Inferior says you? Genius says I.
Girl from Anywhere, MiDoes Clapton sing on this or does he just use Bob's vocals? Because the singing doesn't sound like Clapton.
Spencer from Los Angeles, CaHey, Eric Clapton did a version of All Along the Watchtower, too. What a coincidence.

Oh, and that wasn't Hendrix's only hit, just his only US top-40 charter. He did much better in the UK.
Joshua from Chico, CaA song is as good as you want it to be. If you like the song, its a good song. If you dislike it then it's a bad song. I think both Clapton and Marley are very talented. It's as simple as that.
Rob from Vancouver, CanadaI can understand you not personally liking Marley, but you clearly have no understanding of his genious and impact on the music world. He was at least as influential as Clapton.
Xander from Tampa, FlJimi Hendrix only had one hit... which was written by Bob Dylan, all along the watch tower... Are you gonna say he's a hack, too, steven?
James from Toronto, Canadaactually you know, im just kidding, i think this song is actually quite good, and hey whatever, its your opinion
James from Toronto, CanadaHey john from MD...U have absolutely no sense when it comes to music. This is eric claptons second least good song.
John from Millersville, MdOne of my least favorite Clapton songs. Eric is a self-confessed poor writer, and he believes his strengths lie elsewhere. He does do a lot of covers, but let's think for a moment of a few songs which he DID write. Layla, Wonderful Tonight, Tears In Heaven...most of his later stuff. I mean, it sounds to me like he really knows how to write. Not ot mention he's a brillian musician. He put Marley on the map with this...Marley is an inferior artist who owes Clapton his career because Clapton condescended to cover this mediocre song, and made it a good one. People don't respect Clapton as much as they should.
Johnny from Los Angeles, CaI can't believe there are so few comments here! Really, there better be more on Marley's version. I'd thought I'd find millions of Claptin finatics here, and in the words of Slim Pickens in Blazing Saddles- I am depressed-. Maybe more on Layla. His only number one hit...JEEZ. Clapton respects Marley, but no one respects him. Including you, Steven.
Steven from Arlington Heights, IlI can't respect Clapton, his only worthy single is a cover of someone who meant more than just pop songs.
Sean from Private Info :), NeAwsome song. Personaly I like Marley's version better. But Eric Clapton's does own :).
Kevin from Honolulu, HiYvonne Elliman sang the opening backup vocal line.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)Edison Lighthouse

The love is growing in the '70s hit "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)" because rosemary is the name of an herb.

Run Like HellPink Floyd

Pink Floyd's "Run Like Hell" was released as a single in America because it has a catchy beat, but the lyrics describe a reign of terror instigated by the despot Pink, the main character in the concept album The Wall.

Killer QueenQueen

The Queen song "Killer Queen," according to lead singer Freddie Mercury, is about a high-class call girl.

Careless WhisperWham!

George Michael was 17 and on a bus to his job at the cinema when he came up with the idea for "Careless Whisper" and the lyrics, "Something in your eyes calls to mind a silver screen."

Blinded By The LightBruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen wrote "Blinded By The Light," which was a #1 hit for Manfred Mann's Earth Band. The "Madman Drummers" line is a reference to Springsteen's first E-Street drummer, Vinnie "Mad dog" Lopez.

When I'm 64The Beatles

In The Beatles' "When I'm 64," Paul McCartney asks a woman if she'll still be there for him when he's 64. In 2006, he got his answer when shortly before his 64th birthday, he and Heather Mills separated.