I Shot The Sheriff
Composer(s): Bob Marley
First release by: Bob Marley & The Wailers - 1973
Covered by multiple other artists



(I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot no deputy, oh no! 
Oh!
I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot no deputy 
Ooh, oo-ooh)
All around in my home town
They tryin' to track me down
They say they want to bring me in guilty
For the life of a deputy
For the life of a deputy
But I say, yeah

(I shot the sheriff
But I swear it was in self-defence)
I swear it was in selfdefence, yea-ea-eah!
It was I who shot the sheriff
(And they say it is a) capital offence 
(Oo-ooh)

Sheriff John Brown always hates me
For what, I don't know
Every time I plant a seed
He say, "Kill them before they grow" 
He say, "Kill them before they grow", now
And so, yeah - and so

I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot no deputy 
(Oh no! Oh!)
It was I shot the sheriff
But I (didn't shoot no deputy) 
I didn't shoot no deputy 
(Oo-ooh)
No-no-no-no-no!

Freedom came my way one day
And I started out of town, yeah!
Then all of a sudden I saw sheriff John Brown
He was aiming to shoot I down
So I shot, yes, I shot - shot him down and I say, yeah

By-by-by - I shot the sheriff
Love, I didn't shoot no deputy 
(oh, no! Oh!)
It was I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot no deputy 
(Oo-ooh)

Reflexes had the better of me
And what is to be must be
Every day the bucket goes to the well
I say, one day the bottom a-go drop out
One day the bottom will drop out

And so - and so, read it!
(I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot no deputy 
Oh no, oh!
I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot no deputy 
Oo-ooh)