I Shot The Sheriff
Bob Marley (1973)


    Reggae (Muted Strum)
4/4 | - - D - - - D - |
      1   2   3   4
  Riff
A|-0-------------------|
E|---3-0-------0-------|
C|-------2-0-----2-0---|
G|-------------------2-|

| [Am] I shot the | sheriff,
| [Dm] But I | did not shoot the | [Am] depu- | ty | [Am] | [Am] |
| [Am] I shot the | sheriff,
| [Dm] But I | didn't shoot the | [Am] depu- | ty | [Am] | [Am] |

| [F] All a- | [Em7] round in my | [Am] home town | [Am]
They're | [F] tryin' to | [Em7] track me | [Am] down | [Am]
They | [F] say they want to | [Em7] bring me in | [Am] guilty | [Am]
For the | [F] killing of a | [Em7] depu- | [Am] ty | [Am]
For the | [F] life of a | [Em7] depu- | [Am] ty.
But I | say...

  Riff
A|-0-------------------|
E|---3-0-------0-------|
C|-------2-0-----2-0---|
G|-------------------2-|

| [Am] I shot the | sheriff,
| [Dm] But I | swear it was in | [Am] self-de- | fense | [Am] | [Am] |
| [Am] I shot the | sheriff,
| [Dm] And they | say it is a | [Am] capi- | tal of- | fense | [Am] | [Am]

| [F] Sheriff John | [Em7] Brown always | [Am] hated me | [Am]
For | [F] what | [Em7] I don't | [Am] know | [Am]
| [F] Ev'ry | [Em7] time that I | [Am] plant a | seed,
He said | [F] kill it be- | [Em7]fore it | [Am] grow | [Am]
He said | [F] kill it be- | [Em7]fore it | [Am] grow.
But I | say...

  Riff
A|-0-------------------|
E|---3-0-------0-------|
C|-------2-0-----2-0---|
G|-------------------2-|

| [Am] I shot the | sheriff,
| [Dm] But I | swear it was in | [Am] self-de | fense | [Am] | [Am] |
| [Am] I shot the | sheriff,
| [Dm] But I | swear it was in | [Am] self-de | fense | [Am] | [Am] |

| [F] Freedom came my | [Em7] way one | [Am] day | [Am]
And I | [F] started | [Em7] out of | [Am] town | [Am]
| [F] All of a | [Em7] sudden I see | [Am] Sheriff John | Brown
| [F] Aiming to | [Em7] shoot me | [Am] down | [Am]
So I | [F] shot, | [Em7] I shot him | [Am] down.
And I | swear...

  Riff
A|-0-------------------|
E|---3-0-------0-------|
C|-------2-0-----2-0---|
G|-------------------2-|

| [Am] I shot the | sheriff,
| [Dm] But I | did not shoot the | [Am] depu- | ty | [Am]   | [Am]   |
| [Am] I shot the | sheriff,
| [Dm] But I | didn't shoot the | [Am] depu- | ty | [Am]   | [Am]   |

Re- | [F]flexes got the | [Em7] better of | [Am] me | [Am]
And | [F] what is to | [Em7] be must | [Am] be | [Am]
Ev'ry | [F] day the bucket | [Em7] goes to the | [Am] well | [Am]
But one | [F] day the bottom | [Em7] will drop | [Am] out | [Am]
Yes, one | [F] day the bottom | [Em7] will drop | [Am] out.
But I | say...

  Riff
A|-0-------------------|
E|---3-0-------0-------|
C|-------2-0-----2-0---|
G|-------------------2-|

| [Am] I shot the | sheriff,
| [Dm] But I | didn't shoot the | [Am] depu- | ty | [Am] | [Am] |
| [Am] I shot the | sheriff,
| [Dm] But I | did not shoot no | [Am] depu- | ty | [Am] | [Am] |
| [Dm] | [Am] | [Am] | [Dm] | [Am] | [Am↓]

#Bob Marley's original in key of Gm. This chart is in key of Am.

#Clapton's original in key of Gm. This chart is in key of Am.

#Last Updated 6/08/21 JJ
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