I Shot the Sheriff
I Shot the Sheriff

The Wailers - I Shot the Sheriff Lyrics

Exploring a narrative of rebellion against authority, this song communicates the struggle for personal and societal freedom. The protagonist's act of shooting the sheriff symbolizes resistance against oppressive forces, embodied by Sheriff John Brown who… Read more

Reggae
Oct 10, 2007
76
I Shot the Sheriff Music Video

I Shot the Sheriff Lyrics

(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, ooh, ooh)

Yeah! All around in my home town,
They're tryin' to track me down,
They say they want to bring me in guilty
For the killing of a deputy,
For the life of a deputy, but I say

Oh, now, now, oh!
(I shot the sheriff) the sheriff
(But I swear it was in self defense) Oh, no! (Oh, oh, ooh)
Yeah, I say, I shot the sheriff oh, Lord! (And they say it is a capital offense)
Yeah! (oh, oh, ooh) Yeah!

Sheriff John Brown always hated me,
For what, I don't know,
Every time I plant a seed,
He said kill it before it grow,
He said kill them before they grow, and so

Read it in the news! (I shot the sheriff) Oh, Lord!
(But I swear it was in self-defense)
Where was the deputy? (Oh, oh, ooh)
I say, I shot the sheriff,
But I swear it was in self defense, yeah! (Ooh)

Freedom came my way one day
And I started out of town, yeah!
All of a sudden I saw sheriff John Brown
Aiming to shoot me down,
So I shot, I shot, I shot him down and I say,
If I am guilty I will pay!

(I shot the sheriff) But I say (But I didn't shoot no deputy),
I didn't shoot no deputy (oh, no-oh) oh no!
(I shot the sheriff) I did!
But I didn't shoot no deputy, oh (Oh, oh, ooh)

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

I, I, I, I, shot the sheriff.
Lord, I didn't shot the deputy, no
I, I (shot the sheriff)
But I didn't shoot no deputy, yeah
So, yeah

Writer(s): Bob Marley
Copyright(s): Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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What is the Meaning of I Shot the Sheriff?

Exploring a narrative of rebellion against authority, this song communicates the struggle for personal and societal freedom. The protagonist's act of shooting the sheriff symbolizes resistance against oppressive forces, embodied by Sheriff John Brown who seeks to stifle growth and progress. The constant insistence on not having shot the deputy underscores the selective nature of this rebellion, aimed not at dismantling authority entirely but rather at challenging unjust power dynamics. The refrain about self-defense further emphasizes the protagonist's plea for understanding - he is not a mindless criminal but a man pushed to extremes by an unjust system. Ultimately, through its engaging storytelling, the song serves as a powerful commentary on systemic oppression and individual agency.

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