A reggae composition like the majority of Marley's works, "Guava Jelly" contains a rocksteady and island-like production with lyrics loosely based around sexual intercourse.

The group placed "Guava Jelly" on several compilation albums, including Africa Unite: The Singles Collection in 2005, and Owen Gray and Herbie Mann created their own versions in 1974 and 1975, respectively.

American artists Johnny Nash and Barbra Streisand also recorded "Guava Jelly" and released their versions as commercial singles in 1972 and 1974, respectively.

Nash's version was featured on his eleventh studio album, I Can See Clearly Now (1972), and was distributed in the 7" format in Jamaica and South Africa as the record's fourth and final single.

[2] It was written and produced by Marley, although longtime collaborator and friend Bunny Livingston contributed by writing additional lyrics and was uncredited for his work.

[5] Mervin Stoddart, who wrote Bob Marley's Lyrics: Understanding and Explaining Their Pedagogical Value, stated that the single was inspired and emphasized by the "sweetness of love making".

[6] Authors Ian McCann and Harry Hawke predicted that "innocent" listeners would not recognize the explicit lyrics because of its "island charm".

[5] Writer John Masouri found that "Guava Jelly" was one of Marley's most commercial recordings from 1971, and used Nash and Streisand's admiration as evidence.

[8] Jo-Anne Greene from AllMusic described the composition as a "rich, romantic piece" and enjoyed Marley's "fiery, sexy performance".

[10] 1999's The Complete Bob Marley & the Wailers 1967-1972, Part 3 album also features the single and the previously unreleased demo titled "Guava".

[20] Additionally, Steve Sullivan (author of Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings, Volume 1) incorrectly claimed that Marley was commissioned to write "Guava Jelly" solely for Nash.

[22] The following year, CBS Records International released it in South Africa, but instead with "Ooh Baby You've Been Good to Me" replacing the previously mentioned B-side.

[39][40] However, Streisand instead hoped for achieving a record featuring diverse and "eclectic" material,[41] straying away from her previous works of the pop and rock genres.

[42] A critic for Stereo Review determined that Streisand sounds like Aretha Franklin on "Guava Jelly", singing with a more sexual tone previously unheard of in her catalogue.

A writer for Billboard was enthusiastic of the release, writing, "Barbra takes the great Bob Marley reggae cut and commercializes it somewhat, though the flavor is still there.

[52] In agreement, writer Shaun Considine claimed that one unknown critic in particular panned the track, stating "Streisand was not born to sing reggae",[53] while another joked that he/she had "no comment" to make in response to the release.