Which Bob Marley song was famously covered by Eric Clapton?

The Bob Marley song famously covered by Eric Clapton was “I Shot the Sheriff.” Marley wrote the song, and Bob Marley and the Wailers first released it on their 1973 album Burnin’.

Eric Clapton recorded his version for his 1974 album 461 Ocean Boulevard. His arrangement gave the reggae composition a smoother rock and blues sound, helping introduce Marley’s songwriting to a much larger international audience.

Clapton’s recording became a major hit in the United States, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1974. It was Clapton’s only U.S. number-one single as a solo artist, making the cover especially important in his career.

A common mix-up is confusing this song with “Redemption Song” or “No Woman, No Cry,” two of Marley’s best-known compositions. Those songs have also been widely covered, but Clapton’s famous chart-topping Marley cover was “I Shot the Sheriff.”