Back in January, in commercials that aired during the Super Bowl and the Grammys, some may have noticed the lilting voice of Karen O doing a rendition of Bob Marley’s “I Shot the Sheriff.” Most probably only heard the song in snippets, but DJ duo N.A.S.A, who produced the track with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman, has finally released a video for the cover’s full version.
It’s hard, if not impossible, to do justice to a Marley song: the legend’s supreme gifts, constant insecurities, and social activism all informed his work and made it a singular oeuvre. It helps that Karen O and N.A.S.A don’t try to imitate the reggae icon; with its disco guitar chords and groovy bass line, the cover’s light-hearted dance jam stands in stark contrast to Marley’s plaintive, laid-back original. The music video—directed and animated by San Charoenchai—is also entertaining, melding Wild West motifs with some Saturday Night Fever imagery. Enjoy.
