I Shot The Sheriff

by Bob Marley
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How to Play This Song

Learn a simple version, phrase by phrase: the melody, then easy chords.

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Lyrics

(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 (Gm)home ed town

they’re (Eb)try in’ to (Dm)track me (Gm)down,

yeah.

They (Eb)say they want to (Dm7)bring me in (Gm)guilt y

for the (Eb)kill ing of a (Dm7)dep u (Gm)ty,

for the (Eb)life of a (Dm7)dep u (Gm)ty.

But I say,

oh, now, now.

read it in the Oh, (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 (Gm)hat ed me;

for (Eb)what, in’ to (Dm)I don’t (Gm)know.

yeah.

They (Eb)Ev ’ry time I (Dm7)plant me a (Gm)seed, y

he said, (Eb)“Kill it of be (Dm7)fore it (Gm)grows.”

He said, (Eb)“Kill them be (Dm7)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)way 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 I saw (Gm)well; sher iff John Brown,

(Eb)aim in’ to (Dm7)shoot me ago (Gm)down.

out.

So I (Eb)shot, I the (Dm7)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.

(Gm)I shot the sher iff, but I (Cm7)say, but I did n’t shoot no (Gm7)dep u ty,

oh, no, oh.

Re

I Shot The Sheriff — Easy Piano Notes for Beginners

2 people have learned this song

Learn "I Shot The Sheriff" on piano with easy notes — perfect for absolute beginners. Large color-coded note names show exactly which keys to press. No music reading required. Key of Bb, 192 BPM.

Tip: Start at 50% speed to get comfortable with the fingering, then work your way up to full tempo.

About “I Shot The Sheriff”

Can I play "I Shot The Sheriff" without reading sheet music?
Yes — Easy Notes mode prints the letter name (C, D, E…) directly on each note in big color-coded labels, so you can match colors to your keyboard without any traditional notation. The whole arrangement of "I Shot The Sheriff" is playable in minutes, even for first-time players.
What key is "I Shot The Sheriff" by Bob Marley played in?
I Shot The Sheriff is arranged in the key of Bb 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 192 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "I Shot The Sheriff" easy to play on piano?
Yes — this is one of our beginner-friendly arrangements with simplified chords and color-coded notes.
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 Bob Marley. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What other songs by Bob Marley can I play here?
Try "NO WOMAN NO CRY", "WAITING IN VAIN", "I SHOT THE SHERIFF". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
Can a complete beginner play "I Shot The Sheriff"?
Absolutely! The Beginner mode shows large color-coded notes with letter names (C, D, E...). Just match the colors to your keyboard — no music reading needed. "I Shot The Sheriff" is perfect for first-time players.
Do I need to read music to play "I Shot The Sheriff"?
No! Our Beginner mode replaces traditional notation with color-coded letter names. Each note shows exactly which key to press. You can start playing "I Shot The Sheriff" in minutes, even if you've never touched a piano before.