I Shot the Sheriff - Wikipedia I Shot the Sheriff This article 's lead section does not adequately summarize key points of its contents. Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article. Please discuss this issue on the article 's talk page. ( May 2018 ) `` I Shot the Sheriff '' Artwork of original German vinyl release 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 Tuff Gong Island Songwriter ( s ) Bob Marley Producer ( s ) Chris Blackwell The Wailers `` I Shot the Sheriff '' is a song written by Bob Marley and released in 1973 by The Wailers. Contents 1 Bob Marley and the Wailers version 2 Eric Clapton version 2.1 Chart performance 2.1. 1 Weekly charts 2.1. 2 Year - end charts 2.2 Certifications 3 Warren G version 3.1 Charts and certifications 3.1. 1 Weekly charts 3.1. 2 Year - end charts 3.1. 3 Certifications 4 See also 5 References 6 External links Bob Marley and the Wailers version The story is told from the point of view of a narrator who admits to having killed the corrupt 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. '' 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. In 2012, Bob Marley 's former girlfriend Esther Anderson claimed that the lyrics, `` Sheriff John Brown always hated me, For what, I do n'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. Eric Clapton version `` I Shot the Sheriff '' A-side label of the original 1974 UK vinyl release Single by Eric Clapton from the album 461 Ocean Boulevard Released Format 12 '' single Genre Soft rock reggae Length 4 : 26 ( album version ) 3 : 30 ( single version ) 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 belongs to the musical genres of soft rock and reggae. 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. Chart performance Weekly charts Chart ( 1974 ) Peak position Australia ( Kent Music Report ) 11 Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) 19 Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) 7 Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) Germany ( Official German Charts ) Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) 5 Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) 5 New Zealand Norway ( VG - lista ) South Africa ( Springbok Radio ) 11 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 9 US Billboard Hot 100 US Billboard Hot Soul Singles 33 US Cash Box US Record World Chart ( 1982 ) Peak position Ireland ( IRMA ) 23 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 64 Year - end charts Chart ( 1974 ) Position Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) 58 Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) 11 Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) 50 US Billboard Hot 100 76 Certifications Region Certification Certified units / Sales United States ( RIAA ) 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 Format Vinyl cassette CD Genre Hip hop Length 4 : 10 Label Def Jam Songwriter ( s ) Bob Marley Warren Griffin Producer ( s ) Warren G Warren G singles chronology `` What 's Love Got to Do with It '' ( 1996 ) `` I Shot the Sheriff '' ( 1997 ) `` Smokin ' Me Out '' ( 1997 ) `` What 's Love Got to Do with It '' ( 1996 ) `` I Shot the Sheriff '' ( 1997 ) `` Smokin ' Me Out '' ( 1997 ) `` 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 Chart ( 1997 ) Peak position Australia ( ARIA ) 8 Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) 18 Belgium ( Ultratip Flanders ) 16 Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Wallonia ) 31 Finland ( Suomen virallinen lista ) 6 France ( SNEP ) 30 Germany ( Official German Charts ) 27 Ireland ( IRMA ) 11 Italy ( FIMI ) 11 Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) 63 New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) Norway ( VG - lista ) 19 Sweden ( Sverigetopplistan ) 11 Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) 12 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) UK R&B ( Official Charts Company ) US Billboard Hot 100 20 US Billboard Hot R&B Singles 16 US Billboard Hot Rap Singles 5 Year - end charts Chart ( 1997 ) Position Australia ( ARIA ) 58 Italy ( FIMI ) 90 New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) 19 US Billboard Hot 100 85 Certifications Region Certification Certified units / Sales Australia ( ARIA ) Gold 35,000 New Zealand ( RMNZ ) Gold 5,000 United States ( RIAA ) Gold 600,000 sales figures based on certification alone shipments figures based on certification alone See also List of Billboard Hot 100 number - one singles of 1974 List of Cash Box Top 100 number - one singles of 1974 List of number - one singles of 1974 ( Canada ) List of number - one singles from the 1990s ( New Zealand ) References Jump up ^ `` I Shot The Sheriff ''. Archived from the original on 29 January 1998... Island Trading Inc. Jump up ^ Hamm, Mark ; Ferrell, Jeff `` Rap, cops, and crime : clarifying the ' cop killer ' controversy ''. Archived from the original on 6 April 2004... Institute for Jewish Policy Research. Axt.org.uk. Jump up ^ Colagrande, J.J. ( 19 April 2012 ). `` Bob Marley 's Ex-Girlfriend Brings Her Own Marley Documentary to Miami ''. Miami New Times. Retrieved 15 November 2015. Jump up ^ Smith, Chris ( 2006 ). The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Rock History : From Arenas to the Underground, 1974 -- 1980. Greenwood Press. p. 102. ISBN 0 - 313 - 32937 - 0. Jump up ^ Brackett, Nathan ; Hoard, Christian, eds. ( 2004 ). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide ( 4th ed. ). Fireside. p. 165. ISBN 0 - 394 - 72107 - 1. Jump up ^ `` GRAMMY Hall Of Fame -- i ''. Grammy Hall of Fame Award. Retrieved 21 December 2012. Jump up ^ `` Forum -- ARIA Charts : Special Occasion Charts -- CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989 ''. Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Austriancharts.at -- Eric Clapton -- I Shot The Sheriff '' ( in German ). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Eric Clapton -- I Shot The Sheriff '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Top RPM Singles : Issue 3841a. '' RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 4 July 2013. Jump up ^ `` Offiziellecharts.de -- Eric Clapton -- I Shot The Sheriff ''. GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Nederlandse Top 40 -- Eric Clapton - I Shot The Sheriff '' ( in Dutch ). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Dutchcharts.nl -- Eric Clapton -- I Shot The Sheriff '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Billboard -- Hits of the World ''. Billboard. Vol. 86 no. 45. 9 November 1974. p. 50. ISSN 0006 - 2510. Jump up ^ `` Norwegiancharts.com -- Eric Clapton -- I Shot The Sheriff ''. VG - lista. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 -- 1989 Acts ( C ) ''. Rock.co.za. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Official Singles Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 July 2013. ^ Jump up to : `` 461 Ocean Boulevard -- Awards ''. AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 4 July 2013. Jump up ^ `` CASH BOX Top 100 Singles -- Week ending SEPTEMBER 7, 1974 ''. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012... Cash Box magazine. Jump up ^ `` The Singles Chart '' ( PDF ). Record World. 7 September 1974. p. 25. ISSN 0034 - 1622. Retrieved 17 September 2017. ^ Jump up to : `` The Irish Charts -- Search Results -- I Shot the Sheriff ''. Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 July 2013. Jump up ^ `` Official Singles Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 July 2013. Jump up ^ `` Jaaroverzichten 1974 '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` The Top 200 Singles of ' 74 ''. RPM. Vol. 22 no. 14. 28 December 1974. Retrieved 20 May 2016. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 - Jaaroverzicht van 1974 '' ( in Dutch ). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Hits for 1974 ''. The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` American single certifications -- Eric Clapton -- I Shot the Sheriff ''. Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH Jump up ^ `` Australian-charts.com -- Warren G -- I Shot the Sheriff ''. ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Austriancharts.at -- Warren G -- I Shot the Sheriff '' ( in German ). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Warren G -- I Shot the Sheriff '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratip. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Warren G -- I Shot the Sheriff '' ( in French ). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Warren G : I Shot the Sheriff '' ( in Finnish ). Musiikkituottajat -- IFPI Finland. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Lescharts.com -- Warren G -- I Shot the Sheriff '' ( in French ). Les classement single. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Offiziellecharts.de -- Warren G -- I Shot the Sheriff ''. GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 7 January 2014. ^ Jump up to : `` I singoli più venduti del 1997 '' ( in Italian ). Hit Parade Italia. Creative Commons. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Dutchcharts.nl -- Warren G -- I Shot the Sheriff '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Charts.org.nz -- Warren G -- I Shot the Sheriff ''. Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Norwegiancharts.com -- Warren G -- I Shot the Sheriff ''. VG - lista. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Swedishcharts.com -- Warren G -- I Shot the Sheriff ''. Singles Top 100. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Swisscharts.com -- Warren G -- I Shot the Sheriff ''. Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Official Singles Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 July 2013. Jump up ^ `` Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40 ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 March 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` Warren G -- Awards ''. AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 4 July 2013. Jump up ^ `` ARIA Charts -- End Of Year Charts -- Top 100 Singles 1997 ''. ARIA Charts. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` End of Year Charts 1997 ''. Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 4 December 2017. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Hits for 1997 ''. The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` ARIA Charts -- Accreditations -- 1997 Singles ''. Australian Recording Industry Association. Jump up ^ `` New Zealand single certifications -- Warren G -- I Shot the Sheriff ''. Recorded Music NZ. Jump up ^ `` American single certifications -- Warren G -- I Shot the Sheriff ''. Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH Jump up ^ `` Best - Selling Records of 1997 ''. Billboard. Vol. 110 no. 5. 31 January 1998. p. 76. ISSN 0006 - 2510. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Bob Marley and the Wailers Bob Marley ( outline ) Peter Tosh Bunny Wailer Other vocalists : Junior Braithwaite Cherry Smith Beverley Kelso Constantine Walker Rita Marley Marcia Griffiths Judy Mowatt Musicians : Aston Barrett Carlton Barrett Earl Lindo Tyrone Downie Alvin Patterson Al Anderson Earl Smith Donald Kinsey Junior Marvin Studio albums Early The Wailing Wailers ( 1965 ) Soul Rebels ( 1970 ) Soul Revolution ( 1971 ) The Best of The Wailers ( 1971 ) Island Catch a Fire ( 1973 ) Burnin ' ( 1973 ) Natty Dread ( 1974 ) Rastaman Vibration ( 1976 ) Exodus ( 1977 ) Kaya ( 1978 ) Survival ( 1979 ) Uprising ( 1980 ) Confrontation ( 1983 ) Compilations Island Legend ( 1984 ) Rebel Music ( 1986 ) Natural Mystic ( 1995 ) One Love ( 2001 ) Gold ( 2005 ) Africa Unite ( 2005 ) Others African Herbsman ( 1973 ) Rasta Revolution ( 1974 ) Other albums Live Live ! ( 1975 ) Babylon by Bus ( 1978 ) Talkin ' Blues ( 1991 ) Live at the Roxy ( 2003 ) Live Forever ( 2011 ) Uprising Live ! ( 2014 ) Easy Skanking In Boston ' 78 ( 2015 ) Remix Chances Are ( 1981 ) Chant Down Babylon ( 1999 ) B Is for Bob ( 2009 ) Box set Songs of Freedom ( 1992 ) The Complete Bob Marley & the Wailers 1967 -- 1972 ( 1997 -- 2002 ) Performances Catch a Fire Tour ( 1973 ) Burnin ' Tour ( 1973 ) Natty Dread Tour ( 1975 ) Rastaman Vibration Tour ( 1976 ) Smile Jamaica Concert ( 1976 ) Exodus Tour ( 1977 ) One Love Peace Concert ( 1978 ) Kaya Tour ( 1978 ) Babylon by Bus Tour ( 1979 ) Survival Tour ( 1979 -- 1980 ) Uprising Tour ( 1980 ) Associated acts The Skatalites The Upsetters The I Threes Word, Sound and Power The Wailers Band The Original Wailers Related people Chris Blackwell Errol Brown Allan Cole Coxsone Dodd Vincent Ford Neville Garrick Joe Higgs Lee Jaffe Arthur Jenkins King Sporty Leslie Kong Johnny Nash Jimmy Norman Lee `` Scratch '' Perry Mortimer Planno Karl Pitterson Alex Sadkin Related articles Discography Band members Marley Natural Upsetter Records Tuff Gong Bob Marley Museum Tribute to the Legend : Bob Marley Marley ( soundtrack ) Hall of Fame : A Tribute to Bob Marley 's 50th Anniversary Time Will Tell : A Tribute to Bob Marley One Love : The Bob Marley Musical Book Portal WikiProject Eric Clapton Discography Singles discography Videography Studio albums Eric Clapton 461 Ocean Boulevard There 's One in Every Crowd No Reason to Cry Slowhand Backless Another Ticket Money and Cigarettes Behind the Sun August Journeyman From the Cradle Pilgrim Reptile Me and Mr. Johnson / Sessions for Robert J Back Home Clapton Old Sock I Still Do Live albums Eric Clapton 's Rainbow Concert E.C. Was Here Just One Night Time Pieces Vol. II Live in the Seventies 24 Nights Unplugged Crossroads 2 : Live in the Seventies One More Car, One More Rider Live in San Diego Compilations The History of Eric Clapton Eric Clapton at His Best Clapton Steppin ' Out Timepieces : The Best of Eric Clapton Backtrackin ' The Cream of Eric Clapton Crossroads Story The Cream of Clapton Blues Clapton Chronicles : The Best of Eric Clapton Complete Clapton Forever Man Singles `` After Midnight '' / `` Easy Now '' `` Blues Power '' / `` Bottle of Red Wine '' `` Let It Rain '' `` I Shot the Sheriff '' / `` Give Me Strength '' `` Willie and the Hand Jive '' `` Swing Low, Sweet Chariot '' `` Knockin ' on Heaven 's Door '' `` Hello Old Friend '' `` Carnival '' `` Lay Down Sally '' / `` Cocaine '' `` Wonderful Tonight '' `` Tulsa Time '' `` Promises '' / `` Watch Out for Lucy '' `` Early in the Morning ( Live ) '' `` I Ca n't Stand It '' `` I 've Got a Rock ' n ' Roll Heart '' `` Crosscut Saw '' `` Forever Man '' `` It 's in the Way That You Use It '' `` Behind the Mask '' `` Tearing Us Apart '' `` Pretending '' / `` Before You Accuse Me '' `` Hound Dog '' `` Bad Love '' `` Tears in Heaven '' / `` White Room ( Live ) '' `` Layla ( Acoustic ) '' `` Down & Out '' `` Motherless Child '' / `` Driftin ' '' `` Change the World '' `` Born in Time '' `` Circus '' `` My Father 's Eyes '' `` Pilgrim '' `` Blue Eyes Blue '' `` ( I ) Get Lost '' `` Come Rain or Come Shine '' / `` Ten Long Years '' `` 3 O'Clock Blues '' `` Key to the Highway '' `` Worried Life Blues '' `` I Ai n't Gonna Stand for It '' `` Every Little Thing '' / `` No Sympathy '' Soundtracks Edge of Darkness Homeboy Rush Concert films Live 1986 The Cream of Eric Clapton Live in Hyde Park In Concert : A Benefit for the Crossroads Centre at Antigua Sessions for Robert J Crossroads Guitar Festival 2004 Live at Montreux 1986 Crossroads Guitar Festival 2007 Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010 Crossroads Guitar Festival 2013 Planes, Trains and Eric Slowhand at 70 -- Live at the Royal Albert Hall Collaborations Riding with the King The Road to Escondido Live from Madison Square Garden Play the Blues : Live from Jazz at Lincoln Center Crossroads Guitar Festival 2013 The Breeze : An Appreciation of JJ Cale Tours Journeyman World Tour 1992 Eric Clapton World Tour Related Blackie Brownie The Fool Signature Stratocaster Crossroads Centre Crossroads Guitar Festival Pattie Boyd ( wife ) Ferrari SP12 EC Va Bene Wonderful Today Warren G Studio albums Regulate... G Funk Era ( 1994 ) Take a Look Over Your Shoulder ( 1997 ) I Want It All ( 1999 ) The Return of the Regulator ( 2001 ) The Hard Way ( 2004 ) ( with 213 ) In the Mid-Nite Hour ( 2005 ) The G Files ( 2009 ) EPs Regulate... G Funk Era, Pt. II ( 2015 ) Singles `` Regulate '' `` This D.J. '' `` Do You See '' `` What 's Love Got to Do with It '' `` I Shot the Sheriff '' `` Smokin ' Me Out '' `` I Want It All '' `` Game Do n't Wait '' `` Lookin ' at You '' `` My House '' Featured singles `` Indo Smoke '' `` Prince Igor '' Related articles Discography Production discography 213 G - Funk Entertainment Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=I_Shot_the_Sheriff&oldid=841867798 '' Categories : 1973 songs 1973 singles 1974 singles 1997 singles Bob Marley songs 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 Songs about death Song recordings produced by Tom Dowd Songs written by Bob Marley Hidden categories : CS1 Dutch - language sources ( nl ) CS1 Italian - language sources ( it ) Wikipedia introduction cleanup from May 2018 All pages needing cleanup Articles covered by WikiProject Wikify from May 2018 All articles covered by WikiProject Wikify Use Jamaican English from May 2015 All Wikipedia articles written in Jamaican English Use dmy dates from January 2014 Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Austria Singlechart usages for Flanders Singlechart usages for Canadatopsingles Singlechart called without artist Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Germany2 Singlechart usages for Dutch40 Singlechart usages for Dutch100 Singlechart usages for Norway Singlechart usages for UK Singlechart usages for Ireland2 Singlechart usages for United Kingdom Certification Table Entry usages for United States Singlechart usages for Australia Singlechart usages for Flanders Tip Singlechart usages for Wallonia Singlechart usages for Finland Singlechart usages for France Singlechart usages for New Zealand Singlechart usages for Sweden Singlechart usages for Switzerland Singlechart usages for UKrandb Certification Table Entry usages for Australia Certification Table Entry usages for New Zealand Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Español Français Italiano עברית Македонски Nederlands Norsk nynorsk Plattdüütsch Português Русский Slovenščina Svenska 4 more Edit links This page was last edited on 18 May 2018, at 16 : 00. 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Question: who did the original i shot the sheriff
Answer: The Wailers