I Shot the Sheriff

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Written by: Marley
Produced by: Chris Blackwell
Released: October '73 on Island
Charts: Did not chart

Singers Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer saved some of their prettiest falsetto harmonies for one of the group's toughest songs, and in the process they woke up white rock audiences to the sound of the Wailers and reggae. Inspired by the Impressions' "Keep On Pushin'," Marley originally had the song's outlaw hero say "I shot the police" but imagined the song would be more government-friendly if he changed it to the revenge killing of a single sheriff. U.S. rock radio warmed up to the song when Eric Clapton covered it, scoring a Number One hit in the summer of 1974.

Appears on: Burnin' (Island)

Next: I Got You Babe

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