I Shot The Sheriff

I 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.

I 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

@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.

Loved this song. FWIW: I detested Lay Down Sally. The most annoying song ever recorded.

Anyone 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!!

To girl, anywhere, MI: yes its clapton's voice. Personally i think it sounds nothing like Bob Marley's voice in this version.

hmmm....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

Misinformation 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.

This 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.

I think Clapton was at his best with Cream,Crossroads guitar solo was the best he ever wrote.

We 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!

John 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.

Does Clapton sing on this or does he just use Bob's vocals? Because the singing doesn't sound like Clapton.

Hey, 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.

A 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.

I 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.

Jimi 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?

actually you know, im just kidding, i think this song is actually quite good, and hey whatever, its your opinion

Hey john from MD...U have absolutely no sense when it comes to music. This is eric claptons second least good song.

One 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.

I 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.

I can't respect Clapton, his only worthy single is a cover of someone who meant more than just pop songs.

Awsome song. Personaly I like Marley's version better. But Eric Clapton's does own :).

Yvonne Elliman sang the opening backup vocal line.