The famous song I Shot the Sheriff, written and sung by Bob Marley, remains one of his most talked about compositions. Fans of the legendary Jamaican musician interpret individual lines in different ways, looking for hidden subtext in them and trying to understand what is generally meant in the words.
The history of creation and the meaning of the song I Shot the Sheriff
At first glance, the main idea of the song I Shot the Sheriff is simple. Someone shot the sheriff and is now a fugitive. Moreover, he is charged with double murder, because the sheriff’s assistant was also found dead. But the offender justifies himself to the audience, claiming that he was forced to use weapons in self-defense, and he did not kill his assistant at all.
At the same time, he claims that the sheriff constantly clung to him and (attention!) forced him to destroy the seeds that he sowed. It seems that everything is obvious. Jamaican rastaman is not allowed to grow marijuana, because of which he loses control of himself and shoots an honest law enforcement officer.
But it is quite possible that not everything is so simple. In 1973, when I Shot the Sheriff was written, there was a story in Jamaica that could very well form the basis of the song. Documentary evidence could not be found, but many Jamaican Internet users talk about it on various sites.
One Robert Marlin, a farmer from the outskirts of Kingston, claimed that he killed a local sheriff named John Brown in self-defense. His assistant was also found shot to death. Although Marlin denied any involvement in the murder, he was found guilty of it. It seems that it was Robert who said the phrase about the seeds that the sheriff ordered to be destroyed, but this expression can be taken figuratively.
Interestingly, almost twenty years later, a DNA examination was carried out, which proved that Robert Marlin really did not kill the deputy sheriff. But it turned out that the deceased policemen from this story were in a homosexual relationship. And this fact was confirmed by Brown’s widow, after which it was suggested that the partner, having learned about the death of his lover, shot himself out of grief, using the weapon of Robert Marlin.
Once again, I have read about this on several websites. On one of the resources, an alleged newspaper article was even published in its entirety. But none of the sources of information can be considered authoritative enough to unconditionally trust him.
Bob Marley himself claimed that the idea of the song I Shot the Sheriff is a desire for justice. In addition, although he regularly used marijuana, it is unlikely that his worldview would allow him to dedicate a composition to a person who is capable of committing murder because of “weed”. So don’t take the line about ruined crops literally.
Many black rights activists believe that in I Shot the Sheriff, Bob Marley protested the oppression of blacks by whites. As you know, the musician’s work included many songs with a political and social bias, so this version seems quite likely.
Clip I Shot the Sheriff
Let’s watch the video clip for the famous song of the legendary Bob Marley. This is a video from the performance of the musician.
I Shot the Sheriff cover versions
I must say that the song did not become a hit immediately after the release. Success awaited her after Eric Clapton recorded a cover that topped the Billboard Hot 100. And despite the fact that neither Marley nor Clapton were enthusiastic about how it sounds. The author of the composition said that Eric did not understand what he was singing about, and he was sure that he could not surpass the original.
Cover versions of I Shot the Sheriff were also performed by many other musicians, including the Ukrainian group “Boombox” (“Chto naklav u bobik”).
Rolling Stone ranked I Shot the Sheriff at number 450 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Interesting Facts
- An incredible interpretation of I Shot the Sheriff was given by Esther Anderson, Marley’s ex-girlfriend. She said that the song refers to birth control.
- The name John Brown is used in the songs of Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and some other artists.
- Bob Marley later wrote the song Mr. brown. Maybe he was referring to the same character.
- The song Be Free by Bob’s son Ziggy Marley contains the line I shot the deputy, now you know.
- The song sounds in a funny episode of the comedy “Taxi-3”.
I Shot the Sheriff Lyrics
I shot the sheriff, but I didn’t shoot no deputy
I shot the sheriff, but I didn’t shoot no deputy
All around in my hometown
They’re tryin’ to track me down, yeah
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, no, no…
Oh, I shot the sheriff, but I swear it was in self defense
I said, I shot the sheriff, Oh Lord
And they say it is a capital offense
Hear this
Sheriff John Brown always hated me
For what I don’t know
Ev’ry time I plant a seed
He said, “Kill it before it grows.”
He said, “Kill them before they grow.”
And so, oh, no, no
Read it in the news
I shot the sheriff, but I swear it was in self defense
Where was the deputy?
I said I shot the sheriff but I swear it was 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 shot the sheriff, but I say, but I didn’t shoot no deputy
I shot the sheriff, but I didn’t shoot no deputy
Reflexes had the better of me
And what is to be must be
Ev’ry 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, I, …
I, I shot the sheriff, but I didn’t shoot the deputy, no
I Shot the Sheriff Lyrics Bob Marley
I shot the sheriff, but I didn’t kill his deputy.
I shot the sheriff, but I didn’t kill his deputy.
All around in my hometown
They’re trying to track me down, yeah
They say they want me to be found guilty
In the murder of a sheriff’s deputy, in my taking his life,
But I tell you… no, no…
Oh I shot the sheriff but I swear it was self defense
I told you I shot the sheriff, oh Lord
And they say that for this crime I should be executed
But listen to the following
Sheriff John Brown always hated me
For what, I don’t know
Every time I planted a seed
He said: “Destroy it before it grows”
He said: “Destroy them before they grow up”
And so on, oh no, no
Read about it in the papers
I shot the sheriff but I swear it was self defense
Where was the assistant?
I told you I shot the sheriff, but I swear it was self-defense.
Freedom once fell to my lot
And I’m about to get out of town, yeah!
But suddenly I saw Sheriff John Brown
Who wanted to shoot me
And I shot, I shot and shot him
So, if I’m to blame, I will answer
I shot the sheriff, but I tell you I didn’t kill the deputy.
I shot the sheriff, but I didn’t kill the deputy
Reflexes were faster than me
And what had to happen happened
No matter how much you hide the truth
One day she’ll swim out
One day she’ll swim out
I mean, I, I…
I, I shot the sheriff, but I didn’t kill the deputy, no
I Shot the Sheriff – Bob Marley
gm
I shot the sheriff
Cm Gm
But I did not shoot the deputy.
gm
I shot the sheriff
Cm Gm But
I did not shoot the deputy.
Eb Dm Gm
All a round in my hometown
Eb Dm Gm
They’re trying to track me down.
Eb Dm Gm
They say they want to bring me in guilty
Eb Dm Gm
For the killing of a deputy,
Eb Dm7 Gm
For the killing of a deputy.
Song quote
I wanted to say, “I shot the police,” but the government would make a big fuss about it, so instead I said, “I shot the sheriff”… But the message is the same – justice.
Bob Marley
