#--------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship or research.#
#----------------------------------------------------------------------------#

Song title:       I Shot The Sheriff
Original Album:   Burnin' (Bob Marley & The Wailers)
Other Album:      461 Ocean Boulevard (Eric Clapton)

Words and Music by Bob Marley
Copyright © 1973 Tuff Gong/Island Records Ltd & 1974 RSO Records
Published by ???

Transcribed by Gavin Chart (contactus@gartfrets.net)


NOTES:
Eric Clapton's 1974 cover of this song reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Bob Marley's original is sung an octave higher than EC's, so I prefer to sing
it EC's way...

There is no real INTRO but Guitar Figure 1, found elsewhere in the song, is
a cool way to start. Let's go...


INTRO (optional):

[play: Guitar Figure 1]

Guitar Figure 1
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-5---3--------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-------------5-------3-------5--|-3------------------------------|
|-------------------------6------|---------6---3------------------|

| 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & -| 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & -|


CHORUS1:
Chords:
Gm   355333
Cm   x35543

Gm
  I shot the sheriff,
Cm                      Gm
  But I didn't shoot no deputy, oh no! Oh!
Gm
  I shot the sheriff,
Cm                      Gm
  But I didn't shoot no deputy. Ooh, ooh, oo-ooh.


VERSE1:
Chords:
Eb   x68886
Dm7  x57565
Gm   355333

Eb     Dm7         Gm
  All around in my home town,
        Eb        Dm7      Gm
They're tryin' to track me down;
Eb              Dm7                 Gm
  They say they want to bring me in guilty,
        Eb           Dm7  Gm
For the killing of a depu-ty,
        Eb        Dm7 Gm
For the life of a dep-uty. But I say...


[play: Guitar figure 1]


CHORUS2:
Chords:
Gm   355333
Cm   x35543

Gm
  I shot the sheriff,
Cm                      Gm
  But I swear it was in self-defence. (Oh, no! Yeah!)
       Gm                     Cm
I say; I shot the sheriff, oh Lord!
                     Gm
And they say it is a capital offence. Yeah!


VERSE2:
Chords:
Eb   x68886
Dm7  x57565
Gm   355333

Eb        Dm7               Gm
  Sheriff John Brown always hated me,
    Eb   Dm7      Gm
For what  I don't know.
      Eb     Dm7     Gm
Every time I plant a seed,
        Eb       Dm7     Gm
He said kill it 'fore it grow,
        Eb         Dm7       Gm
He said kill them 'fore they grow. And so, and so...


[play: Guitar figure 1]

(Read it in the news!)


CHORUS3:
Chords:
Gm   355333
Cm   x35543

Gm
  I shot the sheriff,
Cm                      Gm
  But I swear it was in self-defence. I say;
Gm
  I shot the sheriff,
Cm                      Gm
  But I swear it was in self-defence. (Yeah!)


VERSE3:
Chords:
Eb   x68886
Dm7  x57565
Gm   355333

Eb                Dm7     Gm
  Freedom came my way one day,
      Eb      Dm7     Gm
And I started, out of town, yeah!
Eb         Dm7          Gm
  All of a sudden I saw Sheriff John Brown,
Eb          Dm7      Gm
  Aiming to shoot me down,
     Eb      Dm7              Gm
So I shot, I shot, I shot him down. And I say...


[Play Guitar figure 1]

(If I am guilty, I will pay)...


[repeat CHORUS1]


VERSE4:
Chords:
Eb   x68886
Dm7  x57565
Gm   355333

  Eb             Dm7       Gm
Reflexes had the better of me,
    Eb         Dm7     Gm
And what is to be must be.
      Eb       Dm7           Gm
Every day, the bucket ago |well,
Eb            Dm7       Gm
  One day the bottom go drop out,
Eb            Dm7       Gm
  One day the bottom go drop out.


[play: Guitar figure 1]

(I say)...


CHORUS5:
Chords:
Gm   355333
Cm   x35543

    Gm
I-I-I, I shot the sheriff,
Cm                            Gm
  Lord, I didn't shot the depu-ty. No!
  Gm
I-I...(shot the sheriff),
Cm                      Gm
  But I didn't shoot no deputy. Yeah! So, yeah!


CODA:
Chords:
Gm   355333
Cm   x35543

[play: | Gm | Cm | Gm |]

[repeat to fade]