# I shot the sheriff **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [May 30, 2025, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-shot-the-sheriff/1019031 "2025-05-30T23:36:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2025, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-shot-the-sheriff/1019031/1 "2025-05-30T23:36:38Z")
I first heard this song from Eric Clapton’s cover. I don’t know if anyone besides perhaps Paul Simon had contemporary songs that were essentially Reggae. So quite cool Clapton covered the song. Slight maybe important lyrical difference (bolded) Bob Marley I shot the sheriff, but it did not shoot **no** deputy Clapton I shot the sheriff, but I didn’t shoot **the** deputy Whether the article “no” or “the” matters it does somewhat change the nature of the alleged crime. I mean, in Marley’s version this “deputy” may have been anybody, whether or not he was “really” a deputy or, in Clapton’s version a real deputy. Assuming our singer is a “reliable narrator” and we can believe the rest of his tale about how Sherri John Browne, who almost surely would have been a white guy (yet that may or may not matter) and that Clapton’s character was not a white Notable Guitar Player from England (and highly likely he’s the same first-person as the Bob Marley character), this is still a very difficult defense. Especially for a black man in UK occupied Jamaica. I mean, Bob Marley was in general clearly singing about racial injustice. Any lawyer/solicitor would have to mount an incredible almost insurmountable case with lots of considerable empathy and compassion for our singer from the judge/jury. What might happen? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2025, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-shot-the-sheriff/1019031/2 "2025-05-30T23:43:33Z")
> [@Coriolanus](#): > > I first heard this song from Eric Clapton’s cover. I don’t know if anyone besides perhaps Paul Simon had contemporary songs that were essentially Reggae. The Beatles _Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da_ UB-40 _Red Red Wine_ a little later ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2025, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-shot-the-sheriff/1019031/3 "2025-05-30T23:48:41Z")
There was also this little band called **the Police,** which dabbled quite a bit in Reggae, especially in its earlier albums. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2025, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-shot-the-sheriff/1019031/4 "2025-05-30T23:52:09Z")
> [@Coriolanus](#): > > I shot the sheriff, but it did not shoot **no** deputy > > Clapton > > I shot the sheriff, but I didn’t shoot **the** deputy > > Whether the article “no” or “the” matters it does somewhat change the nature of the alleged crime. > > I mean, in Marley’s version this “deputy” may have been anybody, whether or not he was “really” a deputy or, in Clapton’s version a real deputy. I disagree. “I didn’t shoot **no** deputy” means the same thing as “I didn’t shoot **any** deputy”, and implies that he denies shooting both the deputy in question _and_ any other deputy that he may or may not be accused of shooting. It does not question anyone’s deputy status. ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2025, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-shot-the-sheriff/1019031/5 "2025-05-31T00:01:57Z")
> [@Coriolanus](#): > > _I don’t know if anyone besides perhaps Paul Simon had contemporary songs that were essentially Reggae._ Clapton and Simon were white artists either covering a Reggae song or making one that sounded like it. But the first purely Reggae song to become a Top 10 hit (that I know of) was “Israelites” by Jamaican singer Desmond Dekker (and the Aces) in 1969. I can’t hear a white singer covering that one! ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2025, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-shot-the-sheriff/1019031/6 "2025-05-31T00:03:21Z")
> [@Coriolanus](#): > > Paul Simon had contemporary songs Even Bob Marley didn’t “invent” Reggae. UB-40, the Police? The former is still a reggae band (They just released an album cleverly called “40” with their greatest hits and new stuff) , and I am aware of The Police having only seen them live twice. I was talking mainly about Bob Marley. And I suppose Eric Clapton (seen twice also). I mentioned Paul Simon (seen four times) as I know, circa 1974 he was one of the few white artists who had any songs close to Reggae. This thread can express love for Bob Marley or Reggae, yet I was not asking “Who is good at Reggae”. Legalize it, and I’ll advertise it - Peter Tosh ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2025, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-shot-the-sheriff/1019031/7 "2025-05-31T00:20:25Z")
Rush, “Vital Signs”? ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2025, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-shot-the-sheriff/1019031/8 "2025-05-31T00:20:49Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > The Beatles _Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da_ And gees, Saint Cad, this song is considered by anybody to be reggae. I think John Lennon and George Harrison both hated the song and Paul McCartney might be slightly surprised this song is considered reggae (though skiffle was closer). I mean, the reggae rhythm is almost irrelevant (To I shot the Sheriff) . My query about this was lyrical: What might happen to our singer who was clearly singing about racial injustice, Someday, perhaps, I’ll start a thread if “Giants steps i take, walking on the Moon. I hope I don’t break my legs, walking on, walking on the Moon” by some little band. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2025, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-shot-the-sheriff/1019031/9 "2025-05-31T00:32:00Z")
> [@Coriolanus](#): > > Paul McCartney might be slightly surprised this song is considered reggae (though skiffle was closer). The original version by was 100% reggae as intended by Paul. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2025, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-shot-the-sheriff/1019031/10 "2025-05-31T00:52:58Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > The original version by was 100% reggae as intended by Paul. So he was jammin’ I hope you like jammin’ too. I’m trying and failing in my head to convert rhe White Album version into Reggae. I have no doubt Paul could have a version, yet to me Clapton’s “I shot the Sheriff” was, besides any stuff from Paul Simon, my the first Reggae / Bob Marley song I heard. I recall, as a 7 year old, not being partial to the guy “Who shot the Sherri” Yet before Robert Nesta Marley died way too young in 1980 I was aware of his music as much as “The Police” And I knew (his persona in the song) was someone I’d have compassion for, ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2025, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-shot-the-sheriff/1019031/11 "2025-05-31T00:54:33Z")
> [@XOldiesJock](#): > > “Israelites” by Jamaican singer Desmond Dekker (and the Aces) in 1969. I can’t hear a white singer covering that one! Do you mean that you don’t want to or that you don’t think they would? There is a cover by Madness. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/wiNRdCVekXs/maxresdefault.jpg "Israelites") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiNRdCVekXs) ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2025, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-shot-the-sheriff/1019031/12 "2025-05-31T00:55:34Z")
Not ska? ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2025, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-shot-the-sheriff/1019031/13 "2025-05-31T01:09:31Z")
According to the extensive documentary that I used to watch, the singer has nothing to worry about. The deputy is an incompetent boob who carries one bullet in his shirt pocket. He’ll never track down the guy who killed the sheriff. ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2025, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-shot-the-sheriff/1019031/14 "2025-05-31T01:14:09Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > _Do you mean that you don’t want to or that you don’t think they would?_ The same group that gave us “Our House in the Middle of Our Street” covered “Israelites?” Glad I missed that! Oh, I’m sure others have tried, but I couldn’t bear such a travesty! No non-Jamaican could cover that song and have the same authenticity as Desmond Dekker. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2025, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-shot-the-sheriff/1019031/15 "2025-05-31T01:34:02Z")
It’s a punky reggae party. And it’s tonight. And it’s alright - The great Bob Marley I love the guy. I love reggae, Saw Madness once. Not yet UB40. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2025, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-shot-the-sheriff/1019031/16 "2025-05-31T01:50:48Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > According to the **extensive** documentary that I used to watch, the singer has nothing to worry about. The deputy is an incompetent boob who carries one bullet in his shirt pocket. He’ll never track down the guy who killed the sheriff. I assume something extensive about Bob and not just this song. He even sings “If I am guilty I will pay”, The persona in the song is prepared to die. I mean, besides the deputy whom if you believe is a real deputy him he did not shoot the deputy yet readily admits “He shot the Sheriff” and I reckon he’s kind made peace with his maker over a Capitol offense. To answer my OP question: He is going to die. And Bob, the singer/writer wants to make it known this an injustice. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2025, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-shot-the-sheriff/1019031/17 "2025-05-31T01:55:01Z")
> [@Coriolanus](#): > > I don’t know if anyone besides perhaps Paul Simon had contemporary songs that were essentially Reggae. I give you 10cc’s “Dreadlock Holiday,” from 1978. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/fUNTk5xsxk4/maxresdefault.jpg "10cc - Dreadlock Holiday") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUNTk5xsxk4) ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2025, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-shot-the-sheriff/1019031/18 "2025-05-31T01:59:04Z")
Okay, cool and thanks, I love 10cc. Yet Paul Simon was doing reggae in 1973-ish, ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2025, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-shot-the-sheriff/1019031/19 "2025-05-31T02:07:30Z")
Make a case this is anything but reggae: > **[Paul Simon - Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard (Official Audio)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVdlpZ4M-Hw%2F)** > > "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" by Paul SimonListen to Paul Simon: https://paulsimon.lnk.to/listenYDWatch more Paul Simon videos: https://paulsimon.lnk... ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2025, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-shot-the-sheriff/1019031/20 "2025-05-31T02:16:26Z")
> [@Coriolanus](#): > > Make a case this is anything but reggae: I am no reggae expert, but no, it doesn’t sound or feel like reggae to me. It’s folk rock, with a funky Brazilian drum – the “culca” (often used in samba music) – giving it that odd noise. But, if you think it’s reggae, more power to you. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-shot-the-sheriff/1019031.md?page=2)