i shot the sheriff
MARLEY (Bob) Lyrics
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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
The song "I Shot The Sheriff" by Bob Marley is a story of a man who is being chased by the authorities for a crime he has committed. The lyrics reveal that the singer shot the sheriff in self-defense, but did not harm the deputy. Despite this, the authorities are after him and he is running for his life. The lyrics express his fear and anxiety that he will be found guilty and punished, even though he claims that he acted in self-defense. The song also highlights the corrupt nature of some authorities and how they can abuse their power.
In the first verse, the singer admits to shooting the sheriff but emphasizes that he did not harm the deputy. He explains that the authorities are trying to track him down and bring him to justice for killing the sheriff. The chorus emphasizes the singer's claim of self-defense, and that he was not guilty of any crime.
In the second verse, the singer reveals that the sheriff always hated him for no apparent reason. Furthermore, the sheriff would destroy any seeds the singer planted, which could be seen as symbolic for the sheriff destroying any potential growth or progress of the singer's life. This verse implies that the sheriff had a vendetta against the singer, which could have led to the shooting.
Overall, the song can be interpreted as a commentary on police brutality and corruption. It highlights the fact that not all authority figures are trustworthy and have the best interests of the people they serve at heart. It also reveals how people can be driven to take extreme measures to protect themselves from those who abuse their power.
Line by Line Meaning
I shot the sheriff
I killed the local law enforcement officer
But I didn't shoot no deputy
However, I did not harm any other police officers
They're tryin' to track me down
People are searching for me
They say they want to bring me in guilty
They accuse me of a crime and want to arrest me
For the life of a deputy
For the death of a police officer
But I say
However, my perspective is different
It was I shot the sheriff
I am responsible for killing the law enforcement officer
(But I didn't shoot the deputy)
(But I did not harm any other police officers)
And they say it is a capital offense
They claim that my crime is punishable by death
Sheriff John Brown always hated me
The local law enforcement officer had a strong dislike for me
For what, I don't know
I am unsure of the reason for the law enforcement officer's hatred towards me
Every time I plant a seed
Whenever I try to start something positive
He said kill them before it grow
He suggests destroying it before it has a chance to develop
Freedom came my way one day
One day, I experienced freedom from something
And I started out of town, yeah
I left my hometown
He was aiming to shoot I down
The law enforcement officer was attempting to shoot me
So I shot, yes, I shot, shot him down
Therefore, I killed him instead
Reflexes had the better of me
My instincts took over
And what is to be must be
I believe that events will unfold as they are meant to
Every day the bucket goes to the well
Every day, people carry out their routines
I say, one day the bottom a-go drop out
I believe that one day this routine will end suddenly
I shot the sheriff
I killed the local law enforcement officer
But I didn't shoot the deputy
However, I did not harm any other police officers
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bob Marley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind