Reggae

I Shot the Sheriff Chords

Bob Marley Beginner Key of A 4 Chords 2 min read

Amtap to play

Dmtap to play

Emtap to play

Gtap to play

Key

A Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Capo

None

Chords

Am · Dm · Em · G

Bob Marley’s reggae classic about justice and accountability. Beginner difficulty in the key of Am.

Reggae Rhythm (4/4 Time)

↓↑↓↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a reggae strum: emphasize the off-beats and mute the strings on the downbeats. The groove should feel relaxed but insistent.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I did not shoot the deputy

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I didn’t shoot the deputy

Verse 2

Am Dm

All around in my hometown

Am F Em

They’re trying to track me down, yeah

Am Dm

They say they want to bring me in guilty

Am F Em

For the killing of a deputy

Am Dm

For the life of a deputy

Am

But I say…

Chorus

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I swear it was in self-defense

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

And they say it is a capital offense

Verse 3

Am Dm

Sheriff John Brown always hated me

Am F Em

For what, I don’t know

Am Dm

Every time I plant a seed

Am F Em

He said, “Kill it before it grows”

Am Dm

He said, “Kill it before it grows”

Am

And so…

Chorus

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I swear it was in self-defense

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I swear it was in self-defense

Verse 4

Am Dm

Freedom came my way one day

Am F Em

And I started out of town, yeah

Am Dm

All of a sudden I saw Sheriff John Brown

Am F Em

Aiming to shoot me down

Am Dm

So I shot, I shot, I shot him down

Am

And I say…

Final Chorus

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I did not shoot the deputy

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I didn’t shoot the deputy

Am Dm

Reflexes got the better of me

Am

And what is to be must be

Practice tip: The Am-Dm pattern is the backbone. In the verses, F and Em add movement. The reggae strum pattern is key — practice muting on beats 1 and 3, strumming on 2 and 4.

Amtap to play

Dmtap to play

Emtap to play

Gtap to play

Key

A Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-C-E-A

Chords

Am · Dm · Em · G

Bob Marley’s reggae classic about justice and accountability. Beginner difficulty in the key of Am.

Reggae Rhythm (4/4 Time)

↓↑↓↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a reggae strum: emphasize the off-beats and mute the strings on the downbeats. The groove should feel relaxed but insistent.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I did not shoot the deputy

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I didn’t shoot the deputy

Verse 2

Am Dm

All around in my hometown

Am F Em

They’re trying to track me down, yeah

Am Dm

They say they want to bring me in guilty

Am F Em

For the killing of a deputy

Am Dm

For the life of a deputy

Am

But I say…

Chorus

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I swear it was in self-defense

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

And they say it is a capital offense

Verse 3

Am Dm

Sheriff John Brown always hated me

Am F Em

For what, I don’t know

Am Dm

Every time I plant a seed

Am F Em

He said, “Kill it before it grows”

Am Dm

He said, “Kill it before it grows”

Am

And so…

Chorus

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I swear it was in self-defense

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I swear it was in self-defense

Verse 4

Am Dm

Freedom came my way one day

Am F Em

And I started out of town, yeah

Am Dm

All of a sudden I saw Sheriff John Brown

Am F Em

Aiming to shoot me down

Am Dm

So I shot, I shot, I shot him down

Am

And I say…

Final Chorus

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I did not shoot the deputy

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I didn’t shoot the deputy

Am Dm

Reflexes got the better of me

Am

And what is to be must be

Practice tip: The Am-Dm pattern is the backbone. In the verses, F and Em add movement. The reggae strum pattern is key — practice muting on beats 1 and 3, strumming on 2 and 4.

Amtap to play

Dmtap to play

Emtap to play

Gtap to play

Key

A Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Left Hand

Root notes

Chords

Am · Dm · Em · G

Bob Marley’s reggae classic about justice and accountability. Beginner difficulty in the key of Am.

Reggae Rhythm (4/4 Time)

↓↑↓↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a reggae strum: emphasize the off-beats and mute the strings on the downbeats. The groove should feel relaxed but insistent.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I did not shoot the deputy

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I didn’t shoot the deputy

Verse 2

Am Dm

All around in my hometown

Am F Em

They’re trying to track me down, yeah

Am Dm

They say they want to bring me in guilty

Am F Em

For the killing of a deputy

Am Dm

For the life of a deputy

Am

But I say…

Chorus

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I swear it was in self-defense

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

And they say it is a capital offense

Verse 3

Am Dm

Sheriff John Brown always hated me

Am F Em

For what, I don’t know

Am Dm

Every time I plant a seed

Am F Em

He said, “Kill it before it grows”

Am Dm

He said, “Kill it before it grows”

Am

And so…

Chorus

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I swear it was in self-defense

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I swear it was in self-defense

Verse 4

Am Dm

Freedom came my way one day

Am F Em

And I started out of town, yeah

Am Dm

All of a sudden I saw Sheriff John Brown

Am F Em

Aiming to shoot me down

Am Dm

So I shot, I shot, I shot him down

Am

And I say…

Final Chorus

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I did not shoot the deputy

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I didn’t shoot the deputy

Am Dm

Reflexes got the better of me

Am

And what is to be must be

Practice tip: The Am-Dm pattern is the backbone. In the verses, F and Em add movement. The reggae strum pattern is key — practice muting on beats 1 and 3, strumming on 2 and 4.

Amtap to play

Dmtap to play

Emtap to play

Gtap to play

Key

A Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

gDGBD (Open G)

Chords

Am · Dm · Em · G

Bob Marley’s reggae classic about justice and accountability. Beginner difficulty in the key of Am.

Reggae Rhythm (4/4 Time)

↓↑↓↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a reggae strum: emphasize the off-beats and mute the strings on the downbeats. The groove should feel relaxed but insistent.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I did not shoot the deputy

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I didn’t shoot the deputy

Verse 2

Am Dm

All around in my hometown

Am F Em

They’re trying to track me down, yeah

Am Dm

They say they want to bring me in guilty

Am F Em

For the killing of a deputy

Am Dm

For the life of a deputy

Am

But I say…

Chorus

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I swear it was in self-defense

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

And they say it is a capital offense

Verse 3

Am Dm

Sheriff John Brown always hated me

Am F Em

For what, I don’t know

Am Dm

Every time I plant a seed

Am F Em

He said, “Kill it before it grows”

Am Dm

He said, “Kill it before it grows”

Am

And so…

Chorus

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I swear it was in self-defense

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I swear it was in self-defense

Verse 4

Am Dm

Freedom came my way one day

Am F Em

And I started out of town, yeah

Am Dm

All of a sudden I saw Sheriff John Brown

Am F Em

Aiming to shoot me down

Am Dm

So I shot, I shot, I shot him down

Am

And I say…

Final Chorus

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I did not shoot the deputy

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I didn’t shoot the deputy

Am Dm

Reflexes got the better of me

Am

And what is to be must be

Practice tip: The Am-Dm pattern is the backbone. In the verses, F and Em add movement. The reggae strum pattern is key — practice muting on beats 1 and 3, strumming on 2 and 4.

Amtap to play

Dmtap to play

Emtap to play

Gtap to play

Key

A Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-D-A-E

Chords

Am · Dm · Em · G

Bob Marley’s reggae classic about justice and accountability. Beginner difficulty in the key of Am.

Reggae Rhythm (4/4 Time)

↓↑↓↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a reggae strum: emphasize the off-beats and mute the strings on the downbeats. The groove should feel relaxed but insistent.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I did not shoot the deputy

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I didn’t shoot the deputy

Verse 2

Am Dm

All around in my hometown

Am F Em

They’re trying to track me down, yeah

Am Dm

They say they want to bring me in guilty

Am F Em

For the killing of a deputy

Am Dm

For the life of a deputy

Am

But I say…

Chorus

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I swear it was in self-defense

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

And they say it is a capital offense

Verse 3

Am Dm

Sheriff John Brown always hated me

Am F Em

For what, I don’t know

Am Dm

Every time I plant a seed

Am F Em

He said, “Kill it before it grows”

Am Dm

He said, “Kill it before it grows”

Am

And so…

Chorus

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I swear it was in self-defense

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I swear it was in self-defense

Verse 4

Am Dm

Freedom came my way one day

Am F Em

And I started out of town, yeah

Am Dm

All of a sudden I saw Sheriff John Brown

Am F Em

Aiming to shoot me down

Am Dm

So I shot, I shot, I shot him down

Am

And I say…

Final Chorus

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I did not shoot the deputy

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I didn’t shoot the deputy

Am Dm

Reflexes got the better of me

Am

And what is to be must be

Practice tip: The Am-Dm pattern is the backbone. In the verses, F and Em add movement. The reggae strum pattern is key — practice muting on beats 1 and 3, strumming on 2 and 4.

Amtap to play

Dmtap to play

Emtap to play

Gtap to play

Key

A Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Harp Key

C Diatonic

Chords

Am · Dm · Em · G

Bob Marley’s reggae classic about justice and accountability. Beginner difficulty in the key of Am.

Reggae Rhythm (4/4 Time)

↓↑↓↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a reggae strum: emphasize the off-beats and mute the strings on the downbeats. The groove should feel relaxed but insistent.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I did not shoot the deputy

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I didn’t shoot the deputy

Verse 2

Am Dm

All around in my hometown

Am F Em

They’re trying to track me down, yeah

Am Dm

They say they want to bring me in guilty

Am F Em

For the killing of a deputy

Am Dm

For the life of a deputy

Am

But I say…

Chorus

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I swear it was in self-defense

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

And they say it is a capital offense

Verse 3

Am Dm

Sheriff John Brown always hated me

Am F Em

For what, I don’t know

Am Dm

Every time I plant a seed

Am F Em

He said, “Kill it before it grows”

Am Dm

He said, “Kill it before it grows”

Am

And so…

Chorus

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I swear it was in self-defense

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I swear it was in self-defense

Verse 4

Am Dm

Freedom came my way one day

Am F Em

And I started out of town, yeah

Am Dm

All of a sudden I saw Sheriff John Brown

Am F Em

Aiming to shoot me down

Am Dm

So I shot, I shot, I shot him down

Am

And I say…

Final Chorus

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I did not shoot the deputy

Am Dm

I shot the sheriff

Am

But I didn’t shoot the deputy

Am Dm

Reflexes got the better of me

Am

And what is to be must be

Practice tip: The Am-Dm pattern is the backbone. In the verses, F and Em add movement. The reggae strum pattern is key — practice muting on beats 1 and 3, strumming on 2 and 4.