I Shot the Sheriff by Warren G

Every New Zealand #1 single…

Warren G

I’ll let Yacht Rock explain Warren G’s rise to fame. It may not be historically accurate….

I Shot the Sheriff

Bob Marley released the original version of ‘I Shot the Sheriff’ in 1973. Marley framed it as an anti-authority song, although Marley’s former girlfriend, Esther Anderson, claimed it also touched on his dislike of her birth control pills. She cites the lines:

Sheriff John Brown always hated me / For what, I don’t know / Every time I plant a seed / He said, ‘Kill it before it grow’

Eric Clapton also covered the song in 1974. It became his only #1 Billboard single.

Warren G revisited the song in 1997, as the lead single for his album ‘Take a Look Over Your Shoulder’. In some ways, it’s a reimagining – it uses Marley’s chorus and a sample from Clapton’s version, but Warren G wrote all new verse lyrics.

It was a successful cover, but it only topped the charts in New Zealand. It’s unsurprising – Marley’s an enduring figure in New Zealand, sharing a spiritual connection with our native Māori people.

My verdict

It’s not as good as the original, but I prefer it to Clapton’s smooth cover. The best part is Warren G’s derisive delivery of the line “but I did not shoot the deputy”.

The Aftermath

Warren G’s career has petered out – he hasn’t released an album since 2009. He now has a website selling BBQ rubs, and he embraces “his morals and good family fun”.

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• NZ #1 hits