Bob Marley - I Shot the Sheriff

"I Shot the Sheriff" is a song originally written by Bob Marley, told from the point of view of a man who admits to having killed the local sheriff, but claims to be falsely accused of having killed the deputy sheriff. He also claims to have acted in self defense when the sheriff tried to shoot him. The song was first released in 1973 on The Wailers' album Burnin'. Marley explained his intention as follows: "I want to say 'I shot the police' but the government would have made a fuss so I said 'I shot the sheriff' instead... but it's the same idea: justice."

Souce: wikipedia.com

 

I shot the sheriff,

But I did not shoot the deputy

I shot the sheriff,

But I did not shoot the deputy

All around in my own town

They're trying 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

I say:

I shot the sheriff,

But I swear it was in self-defense

I shot the sheriff,

And they say it is a capital offense

Sheriff John Brown always hated me,

For what I don't know

Every time that I plant a seed

He said: "Kill it before it grows"

He said: "Kill them before they grow"

I say:

I shot the sheriff,

But I swear it was in self-defense

I shot the sheriff,

But I swear it was in self-defense

Freedom came my way one day

And I started out of town

All of a sudden I saw sheriff John Brown

Aiming to shoot me down

So I shot, I shot him down

I say:

I shot the sheriff,

But I did not shoot the deputy

I shot the sheriff,

But I did not shoot the deputy

Reflexes are the better of me

And what is to be must be

Every day the bucket goes to the well,

But one day the bottom will drop out,

Yes, one day the bottom will drop out

I say:

I shot the sheriff,

But I did not shoot the deputy

I shot the sheriff,

But I did not shoot the deputy