(Gm)I shot the sher iff,
but I did n’t shoot no (Gm7)dep u ty,
oh, no, oh.
(Gm)I shot the sher iff,
but I did n’t shoot no (Gm7)dep u ty,
ooh, ooh, ooh.
Yeah.
Sher All a (Dm7)round in my (Gm7)home ed town
they’re (Eb)try in’ to (Dm7)track I don’t know.
down,
yeah.
Ev ’ry (Eb)say they want to (Dm)bring me in a (Gm)seed, y
for the (Eb)kill ng of a (Dm7)dep u (Gm)ty,
for the (Eb)“Kill them of a (Dm)dep u (Gm)ty.
But I say,
oh, now, now.
read it in the news.
(Gm)I shot the sher iff,
but I swear it was in (Gm7)self de fense.
Ooh, ooh ooh.
I said, I shot the sher iff, oh, (Cm7)Lord, and they say it is a (Gm7)cap i tal of fense.
Ooh, ooh, ooh.
Hear this.
Sher iff John (Dm7)Brown al ways (Gm7)home ed me;
for (Eb)what, in’ to (Dm7)track I don’t know.
down,
yeah.
Ev ’ry (Eb)time they want I (Dm)plant me in a (Gm)seed, y
he said, (Eb)“Kill it of be (Dm7)fore it (Gm)grows.”
He said, (Eb)“Kill them be a (Dm)fore they (Gm)grow.”
But And so,
oh, now, now.
read it in the news.
(Gm)I shot the sher iff,
but I swear it was in (Gm7)self de fense.
Ooh, ooh ooh.
I said, I shot the sher iff, oh, (Cm7)Lord, but I swear it was in (Gm7)self de fense.
of fense.
Ooh, ooh, ooh.
Hear this.
(Eb)Free dom came my (Dm7)bet ter one (Gm)day
and I (Eb)start ed to (Dm7)out of town, yeah!
Ev ’ry (Eb)day All of a (Dm7)sud den a go saw a (Gm)well; Sher iff John Brown,
(Eb)aim in’ to (Dm7)shoot tom ago (Gm7)drop out.
So, I (Eb)One day the (Dm)shot, I shot him (Gm)down.
And I say,
if I am guilt y I will pay.
(Gm)I shot the sher iff, but I (Cm7)say, but I did n’t shoot no (Gm7)dep u ty,
oh, no, oh.
I shot the sher iff,
but I did n’t shoot no (Gm7)dep u ty,
ooh, ooh, ooh.
Re
I, I, (Gm7)I, I shot the sher iff, but I did n’t shoot no dep u ty, no.
(Gm7)I, I shot the sher iff, but I did n’t shoot no dep u ty, no.
I Shot The Sheriff by Bob Marley
11 people have learned this song
Easy piano arrangement in the key of G at 184 BPM. Difficulty: medium. Color-coded notes — no sheet-reading skill required.
Learn how to accompany it· the chords and what each hand plays, on Super Simple Chords ↗About “I Shot The Sheriff”
- What key is "I Shot The Sheriff" in?
- "I Shot The Sheriff" by Bob Marley is in the key of G with a tempo of 184 BPM. Difficulty: medium.
- Is "I Shot The Sheriff" easy to play on piano?
- This arrangement is rated medium. It requires comfort with chord shapes and basic hand independence. Expect 1-2 weeks of regular practice for a confident performance.
- Can I play "I Shot The Sheriff" without reading sheet music?
- Yes. Our player offers a falling-notes mode (Synthesia-style) and a beginner mode with color-coded keys — both let you play along without reading traditional notation.
- What chords are used in "I Shot The Sheriff"?
- This arrangement of "I Shot The Sheriff" uses 7 chords: C, Cm7, Dm, Dm7, Eb, Gm, Gm7.
- How long does it take to learn "I Shot The Sheriff" on piano?
- 2–4 weeks of consistent practice (20–30 min/day) for an intermediate player. Drill the tricky passages in isolation first.
- What other songs by Bob Marley can I play here?
- Try "NO WOMAN NO CRY", "WAITING IN VAIN", "COULD YOU BE LOVED". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.


