I SHOT THE SHERIFF
Eric Clapton

from the album "461 Ocean Boulevard" (1974)


[Main Riff]

e|------------
B|------------
G|------------
D|/5---3------
A|--------/5--
E|------------

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-----------|--
-3---1-/5--|-3
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---1----------
-------3------

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[Chorus]

            
I shot the she

            
riff, but I di

              
d not shoot th

  
e deputy
            
I shot the she

            
riff, but I di

              
d not shoot th

 
e deputy


[Verse 1]

          
All around in 

    
my home town
            
They're trying

            
 to track me d


own
            
They say they 

            
want to bring 

       
me in guilty
            
For the killin

           
g of a deputy
            
For the life o

        
f a deputy    

But I say?

(Play Main Riff)


[Chorus]

            
I shot the she

            
riff, but I sw

              
ear it was in 

 
self-defense
            
I shot the she

            
riff, and they

              
 say it is a c

 
apital offense


[Verse 2]

          
Sheriff John B

      
rown always ha

ted me
          
For what I don

    
't know
          
Every time tha

     
t I plant a se

ed
            
He said "Kill 

            
it before it g


rows"
            
He said "Kill 

            
it before it g


rows"   I say!

(Play Main Riff)


[Chorus]

            
I shot the she

            
riff, but I sw

              
ear it was in 

 
self-defense
            
I shot the she

            
riff, but I sw

              
ear it was in 

 
self-defense


[Verse 3]

          
Freedom came m

     
y way one day
          
And I started 

       
out of town ye

ah
          
All of a sudde

         
n I see sherif

f John Brown
          
Aiming to shoo

      
t me down
          
So I shot, I s


hot him down  

  I say!

(Play Main Riff)


[Chorus]

            
I shot the she

            
riff, but I di

              
d not shoot th

  
e deputy
            
I shot the she

            
riff, but I di

              
dn't shoot the

  
 deputy


[Verse 4]

          
Reflexes got t

    
he better of m

e
          
And what is to

    
 be must be
          
Every day the 

        
bucket falls t

o the well
            
But one day th

            
e bottom will 


drop out
          
Yes, one day t

              
he bottom will


 drop out   Bu

t I say

(Play Main Riff)


[Chorus]

            
I shot the she

            
riff, but I di

              
d not shoot th

  
e deputy, oh n

o
            
I shot the she

            
riff, but I di

              
d not shoot no

  
 deputy, oh no


[Ending]
    
      (repeat and fade)