Learn to play "I Shot The Sheriff" on your guitar with our detailed chord guide and lyrics. This page provides everything you need to perform this song on the guitar, including lyrics integrated with chords, chord diagrams, and a key transposer to match your vocal range.
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This section will guide you through each part of the song, providing the guitar chords placed directly above the lyrics for easy playing. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced player, these elements will help you perform "I Shot The Sheriff" smoothly on your guitar.
For easier playing, use our Simplify Chords feature to remove difficult chords like barre.
Chorus: Gm Cm Gm I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy Gm Cm Gm I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy D# Dm Gm All around in my home town D# Dm Gm They're trying to track me down D# Dm Gm They say they want to bring me in guilty D# Dm Gm For the killing of a deputy D# Dm Gm For the life of a deputy But I say? Chorus: I shot the sheriff, but I swear it was in self-defense 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 that I plant a seed He said, "Kill it before it grows" He said, "Kill it before it grows" I say Chorus: I shot the sheriff, but I swear it was in self-defense I shot the sheriff, and they say it is a capital offense Freedom came my way one day And I started out of town All of a sudden I see sheriff John Brown Aiming to shoot me down So I shot, I shot him down I say Chorus: I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy Reflexes got the better of me And what is to be must be Every day the bucket goes to the well But one day the bottom will drop out Yes, one day the bottom will drop out But I say Chorus: I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy You can simplify chords by removing barre | TransposeReset Font SizeReset Guitar Chord DiagramsCm Dm D# Gm Here you can see detailed diagrams for each guitar chord used in the song. Utilize our key transposer to adjust the chords to a key that better fits your singing range. Simply select the desired key, and the chords throughout this page will update automatically, ensuring you can play and sing comfortably. |
If you are also interested in learning how to play "I Shot The Sheriff" on the ukulele, check out the chords on our sister site: Ukulele Chords for "I Shot The Sheriff" by Eric Clapton.