Other arrangements of I Shot The Sheriff
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(Gm)I shot the sher iff,
but I did not shoot the (Gm)dep u ty.
I shot the sher iff,
but I did n’t shoot the (Gm)dep u ty.
of fense.
Sher iff a John round in my (Gm)home ed town,
they’re (Ebmaj7)try ing to (Dm7)track me down.
They (Dm7)ev ’ry time to bring me in guilt y a seed, for the (Ebmaj7)kill ing of a (Dm7)dep u (Gm)ty,
for the (Ebmaj7)life of a (Dm7)dep u (Gm)ty.
But I say:
(Gm)I shot the sher iff,
but I swear it was in (Gm)self de fense.
I shot the sher iff,
and they say it is a (Gm)cap i tal of fense.
Sher iff a John Brown al ways (Gm)hat ed me;
for (Ebmaj7)what, ing to (Dm7)I don’t know.
And (Dm7)ev ’ry time to bring that I plant y a seed, he said, (Ebmaj7)“Kill ing it be (Dm7)fore it (Gm)grows.”
He said, (Ebmaj7)“Kill it be (Dm7)fore it (Gm)grows.”
But I say:
(Gm)I shot the sher iff,
but I swear it was in (Gm)self de fense.
I shot the sher iff,
but I swear it was in (Gm)self de fense.
Free dom came my get the one bet (Gm)ter of me,
and I start ed out of (Gm)town, yeah.
All of a (Dm7)sud den I see (Gm)Sher iff John Brown
but one day the bot tom me will (Gm)down, out.
so I (Dm7)shot, Yes, one day the I shot him (Gm)down.
out.
But I (CN.C.)say:
(Gm)I shot the sher iff,
but I did not shoot the (Gm)dep u ty.
I shot the sher iff,
but I did n’t shoot the (Gm)dep u ty.
Free Re flex es get the one bet (Gm)ter of me,
and what is to be must (Gm)be.
yeah.
Ev er y (Dm7)day the buck et (Gm)goes to the well,
but one day the bot tom me will (Gm)drop out.
so I (Dm7)shot, Yes, one day the bot tom will (Gm)drop out.
But I (CN.C.)say:
(Gm)I shot the sher iff,
but I did n’t shoot the (Gm)dep u ty.
I shot the sher iff,
but I did not shoot no (Gm)dep u ty.
I Shot The Sheriff — Classic Piano Sheet Music
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Read "I Shot The Sheriff" by Eric Clapton in classic piano notation — both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of Eb. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 95 BPM.
Tip: Use the speed control to practice at 70% tempo first. Focus on tricky chord transitions before attempting the full arrangement.
Try other practice modes:
About “I Shot The Sheriff”
- Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "I Shot The Sheriff"?
- Yes — the score is rendered server-side from the publisher MusicXML using Verovio (the same engine RISM and OpenScore use). Standard piano notation, treble + bass staves, real chord symbols, key signature Eb. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
- What key is "I Shot The Sheriff" by Eric Clapton played in?
- I Shot The Sheriff is arranged in the key of Eb on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
- What's the tempo (BPM) of "I Shot The Sheriff"?
- The arrangement plays at 95 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "I Shot The Sheriff" easy to play on piano?
- This is a medium-difficulty arrangement. Most players can learn it within a few practice sessions using the speed control.
- Can I download sheet music for "I Shot The Sheriff"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "I Shot The Sheriff"?
- "I Shot The Sheriff" was originally performed by Eric Clapton. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "I Shot The Sheriff"?
- This arrangement uses 5 chords: C, Cm, Dm7, Ebmaj7, Gm.
- What other songs by Eric Clapton can I play here?
- Try "RUNNING ON FAITH", "BELIEVE IN LIFE", "MY FATHER'S EYES". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
- Is this the same notation a piano teacher would hand me?
- Yes — "I Shot The Sheriff" is rendered at engraver quality (the Verovio engine, the same toolkit RISM and OpenScore editions use) from the original publisher MusicXML. You get standard piano notation: treble + bass clefs, key signature Eb, time signature, beams, dynamics — everything a printed sheet music book would have. Great for piano students learning to read music properly.
- What's the difference between Sheet Music and the other modes here?
- Sheet Music is the "classic" view — the one your piano teacher uses. Other modes (Beginner, Fall Down, Simple Sheet, Lead Sheet) trade real notation for color-coded notes and falling shapes to help absolute beginners. Use Sheet Music once you're ready to read both hands at once from real notation.
- Can I practice from this view at my own pace?
- Yes — slow the tempo from 95 BPM down (or up) without changing the pitch. The score scrolls in time and the currently playing note is highlighted, so you can drill a tough bar at half speed and bump it up once it feels comfortable.
- Why can I click a note in the score?
- Every notehead is interactive. Click and the audio jumps to that moment so you can drill a specific phrase or bar instead of replaying from the top. The currently playing note is highlighted as the music advances so your eye never loses its place.
- Can I download the sheet music as a PDF?
- Yes — Sheet Music PDF is one of the download formats for this song. The engraved score prints page-perfect on A4 / Letter so you can practice from paper as well as on screen.


