Verse 1
[Gm] I shot the sheriff
[Cm] But I didn't shoot no [Gm] deputy, oh no, oh
[Gm] I shot the sheriff
[Cm] But I didn't shoot no [Gm] deputy, ooh, ooh, ooooh, yeah
[Ebmaj7] All aroun[Dm] d in my [Gm] hometown
They're [Ebmaj7] tryin' to [Dm] track me [Gm] down, yeah
[Ebmaj7] They say they want to [Dm] bring me in [Gm] guilty
For the [Ebmaj7] killing of a [Dm] depu[Gm] ty
For the [Ebmaj7] life of a [Dm] depu[Gm] ty, but I say
Oh now now, oh
[Gm] I shot the sheriff (shot the sheriff)
[Cm] But I swear it was in [Gm] self defense oh, no (Ooh, ooh, oooh) yeah
I say, [Gm] I shot the sheriff, Oh, [Cm] Lord
And they say it is a [Gm] capital offence, yeah (Ooh, ooh, oooh) Yeah
[Ebmaj7] Sheriff John [Dm] Brown always [Gm] hated me
For [Ebmaj7] what, [Dm] I don't [Gm] know
Every [Ebmaj7] time I [Dm] plant a [Gm] seed
He said [Ebmaj7] kill it be[Dm] fore it [Gm] grow
He said [Ebmaj7] kill them [Dm] before they [Gm] grow, and so
And so
Read it in the news
Chorus
[Gm] I shot the sheriff (oh Lord)
[Cm] But I swear it was in [Gm] self defense,
where was the deputy? (Ooh, ooh, oooh) I say
[Gm] I shot the sheriff
[Cm] But I swear it was in [Gm] self defense, yeah (ooooooh)
[Ebmaj7] Freedom came my [Dm] way one [Gm] day
And I [Ebmaj7] started [Dm] out of town, [Gm] yeah
All of [Ebmaj7] a sudden I [Dm] saw sheriff [Gm] John Brown
[Ebmaj7] Aiming to [Dm] shoot me [Gm] down
So I [Ebmaj7] shot, I [Dm] shot, I shot him [Gm] down and I say
If I am guilty I will pay (pay, pay, pay, pay, pay)
Chorus
[Gm] I shot the sheriff (but I say)
[Cm] But I didn't shoot no [Gm] deputy, (I didn't shoot no deputy, no) oh no, oh
[Gm] I shot the sheriff (I did)
[Cm] But I didn't shoot no [Gm] deputy, oh (ooh, ooh, ooooh) yeah
Re[Ebmaj7] flexes had the [Dm] better of [Gm] me
And [Ebmaj7] what is to [Dm] be must [Gm] be
Every [Ebmaj7] day the [Dm] bucket a-go a [Gm] well
[Ebmaj7] One day the [Dm] bottom a-go [Gm] drop out
[Ebmaj7] One day the [Dm] bottom a-go [Gm] drop out, I say
Chorus
I, I, [Gm] I, I shot the sheriff
[Cm] Lord, I didn't shot the [Gm] deputy, no, yeah
[Gm] I, I (shot the sheriff)
[Cm] But I didn't shoot no [Gm] deputy, yeah, no, yeah
(Original repeats and fades)
[Gm] [Cm] [Gm]