Bob Marley and the Wailers first released I Shot the Sheriff in 1973 on the album Burnin', and Eric Clapton's 1974 cover took the song to number one in the United States, introducing it to a much wider rock audience. Marley later said the sheriff was a symbol of authority rather than a literal person, a reading that helped the song travel beyond reggae. Decades later, its instantly recognisable title and relaxed groove made it a natural shorthand in memes, edits and reaction videos for playful blame, confession and dramatic irony.