I SHOT THE SHERIFF
Bob Marley


(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 selfdefence.)
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.)