I Shot the Sheriff
Gary Dourdan Lyrics

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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

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 ¡
I shot the sheriff
But I swear it was in selfdefence
Oh, no!
I shot the sheriff
And they say it is a capital offence
Ooh, ooh, oo-oh

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
But I swear it was in self-defence
Oo-oo-oh
I say: I shot the sheriff
But I swear it was in selfdefence. (Oo-oh)

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 didn't shoot no deputy
I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot no deputy

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 shot the sheriff
I didn't shot the deputy
I shot the sheriff

But I didn't shoot no deputy
I shot the sheriff

Overall Meaning

The song "I Shot The Sheriff" by Gary Dourdan is a cover of the original song by Bob Marley. The lyrics describe a man who has shot the town's sheriff but claims that he did not shoot any deputy. The man is accused of killing a deputy and is being chased by police who want to capture him and charge him with the murder. The singer of the song claims that he shot the sheriff in self-defense and that he is not guilty of the crime he is being accused of. The song lyrics also describe the ongoing tension between the singer and Sheriff John Brown, who seems to have had a personal vendetta against him.

The song has a political undertone and is a commentary on the racial tensions that existed in Jamaica during the 1970s, a period characterized by political violence and unrest. Marley wrote the song to address the corrupt Jamaican police force, which was notorious for corruption and brutality against the poor and marginalized communities. The song is a call for justice and resistance against oppression.

Line by Line Meaning

I shot the sheriff
I killed the sheriff

But I didn't shoot no deputy, oh no! Oh!
I want to make it clear that I didn't kill the deputy, only the sheriff

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:
The people in my hometown are trying to catch me and believe I killed a deputy, but I didn't. I am claiming my innocence.

But I swear it was in selfdefence Oh, no! I shot the sheriff And they say it is a capital offence Ooh, ooh, oo-oh
I am insisting that I killed the sheriff in self-defense, even though they are treating it like a very serious crime.

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
The sheriff had a strong animosity towards me, but I don't know why. Every time I tried to improve things, he tried to stop me before things could even get started.

Read it in the news I shot the sheriff But I swear it was in self-defence Oo-oo-oh I say: I shot the sheriff But I swear it was in selfdefence. (Oo-oh)
The news is reporting that I killed the sheriff, but once again, I am stating that it was done in self-defense.

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 had the opportunity to leave town and be free, but then the sheriff came after me, so I had to defend myself and kill him. I am willing to face any consequences if I am found guilty.

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 reacted quickly without thinking and now have to accept the consequences of my actions, like how a bucket will eventually break after being used every day.

I shot the sheriff I didn't shot the deputy I shot the sheriff But I didn't shoot no deputy I shot the sheriff
Once again, I am clarifying that I only killed the sheriff, not the deputy.

Writer(s): Marley Bob

Contributed by Michael S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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