I Shot the Sheriff Lyrics

[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.)
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            /Organ solo/
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