"I Shot the Sheriff" is a song written by Bob Marley, told from the point of view of a man who admits to having killed the local sheriff, but claims to be falsely accused of having killed the deputy sheriff. The song was first released on The Wailers' album Burnin'.

Eric Clapton recorded a cover version that was included on his album, 461 Ocean Boulevard. It is the most successful version of the song, peaking at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Clapton's only chart-topping hit in the U.S.

During the controversy over the Body Count song "Cop Killer", it was frequently pointed out that there were no similar complaints about Marley's song even though they had similar themes.

On EPMD's 1988 "Strictly Business" LP, the title track uses a sample of "I Shot the Sheriff" (Clapton's Version).

In Mary J. Blige's 1992 debut album ("What's the 411?"), Grand Puba declared "I shot the sheriff but I dint shoot no deputy"in the title track.

In 1997, rapper/producer Warren G covered the song for his Take a Look over Your Shoulder (Reality)album. This version peaked at #20 on the Hot 100. It hit #1 in New Zealand.

In 2000, the song has been covered in a ska-punk version by Voodoo Glow Skulls on their album Symbolic. It was also covered by former American Idolcontestant Jason Castro in 2008.

In 2004, Tom Morello, under his persona, The Nightwatchman, borrowed and changed lyrics from the song during his performance of Until the End, as part of the Axis of Justice Concert Series Volume 1. The lyrics he used were: "...three times I shot the sheriff; and did not spare the deputy". A studio version of the song was later released on his album One Man Revolution.