During 1970 and 1971, Wailer, Marley and Tosh worked with renowned reggae producers Leslie Kong and Lee "Scratch" Perry.
They released four albums before signing to Island Records in 1972. Two more albums were created before Tosh and Wailer left the band in 1974, citing grievances over label treatment and ideological differences. Marley carried on with a new line-up, including the I-Threes that put out seven more more albums. Marley died in 1981.
The Wailers were a groundbreaking ska and reggae group, noted for songs such as "Simmer Down", "Trenchtown Rock", "Nice Time", "War", "Stir It Up" and "Get Up, Stand Up".
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Marley_and_the_Wailers
Studio albums
The Wailing Wailers (1965)
The Best of the Wailers (1970; released 1971)
Soul Rebels (1970)
Soul Revolution Part II (1971)
Catch a Fire (1973)
Burnin' (1973)
Natty Dread (1974)
Rastaman Vibration (1976)
Exodus (1977)
Kaya (1978)
Survival (1979)
Uprising (1980)
Confrontation (1983)
I shot the sherif
Bob Marley & The Wailers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I didn't shoot no deputy
Oh, no, no
I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot no deputy
Ooh
All around in my hometown
They say they want to bring me in guilty
For the life of a deputy
For the life of a deputy
But I say
I shot the sheriff
(But I swear it was in self-defense) I swear it was in self-defense, yeah
It was 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 I plant a seed
He said kill them before it grow
He said kill them before they grow
And so
And so
I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot the deputy
It was I shot the sheriff
(But I didn't shoot the deputy) I didn't shoot the deputy, 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
I-I-I-I shot the sheriff
Lord, I didn't shoot the deputy
(No, no, no)
It was I who shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot the deputy
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
Really sing
I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot the deputy
(No, no, no)
I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot the deputy
Bob Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff" is a reggae song that was released in 1973 on the album Burnin'. The song has a story to tell, an interesting narrative that tells a story of a man who shot the sheriff but didn't shoot the deputy. The song is mostly done in the first person narrative. The story goes that the singer is on the run as the law is after him, and they want to arrest him for killing the deputy sheriff. However, he insists that he didn't kill the deputy, but he did shoot the real culprit, the sheriff. He insists that he only acted in self-defense, and that explains why he shot the sheriff.
There are other subtle hints in the lyrics that reveal some of the singer's perspectives. He seems to be a farmer, and Sheriff John Brown has always had a problem with him. Sheriff Brown seems to be a corrupt policeman who would not let the singer carry out his farming activities peacefully. Brown would tell him to kill the seedlings before they grew, which translates to his unjust treatment of the singer. These injustices add to the tension between the two, leading the singer to shoot Brown when he saw him.
In conclusion, Bob Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff" song has a storyline that explains how the singer, out of self-defense, ended up shooting Sheriff John Brown. He insists that he didn't shoot the deputy and that it was a case of mistaken identity. It is a classic reggae song that tells a simple yet powerful narrative that is typical of Bob Marley's music.
Line by Line Meaning
I shot the sheriff
I am admitting to shooting the sheriff
But I didn't shoot no deputy
However, I did not shoot the deputy
Oh, no, no
I am not guilty of shooting the deputy
All around in my hometown
In my hometown, everywhere I go
They're tryin' to track me down
People are searching for me
They say they want to bring me in guilty
They are accusing me of a crime
For the life of a deputy
Specifically, for injuring or killing a deputy
But I say
However, I have a different perspective
I shot the sheriff
I shot the sheriff, but with a valid reason
(But I swear it was in self-defense) I swear it was in self-defense, yeah
I acted out of self-defense, not because of malice
And they say it is a capital offense
They believe that my crime is severe enough to warrant death penalty
Sheriff John Brown always hated me
The sheriff had a deep-seated grudge against me
For what, I don't know
I have no idea why
Every time I plant a seed
Every time I try to start something
He said kill them before it grow
The sheriff would try to sabotage my plans before I could accomplish anything
And so
As a result
Freedom came my way one day
One day I finally achieved freedom
And I started out of town, yeah
I left my hometown behind
Then all of a sudden I saw sheriff John Brown
However, I unexpectedly encountered the sheriff
He was aiming to shoot I down
He attempted to shoot me
So I shot, yes, I shot, shot him down
So, I acted in self-defense again, and this time I fatally injured the sheriff
Reflexes had the better of me
I acted instinctively and in self-preservation
And what is to be must be
I have to accept the consequences of my actions
Every day the bucket goes to the well
I understand that life is unpredictable
I say, one day the bottom a-go drop out
I believe that one day things will inevitably go wrong
Really sing
I truly and passionately mean what I am singing
But I didn't shoot the deputy
I am reiterating once again that I did not harm the deputy
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Bob Marley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MFM_88
If you're listening to this in 2024, hit me 👍
@ahmetoztekin1232
Im.saying hello from cyprus island😊
@darrellmoore8194
From Philippines
@BTWrush
I am listening and performing this Sunday for Bob Marley’s Birthday gig ❤
@Roki.hermawan
😂
@nadiaarthus4125
From Martinique
@jamestyson458
I've been listening to all of Bob Marley's hit songs since I saw Bob Marley One Love. He was very talented. And a great man
@garrithdaly4541
Same
@jessenicolas6900
Talented ? GOD GIFTED !! one love
@Ijayed22
It is only Bob Marley and Michael Jackson that can sit on the same table and enjoy a meal of corn porridge while watching Thriller play on the TV. The two greatest musicians of all time 🙌👑🙌👑🙌
Counting down from 7 days when I can finally watch Bob’s biopic ‘One Love’ on February 14th.