Why did Bob Marley shoot the sheriff, but not the deputy?

Answer 1

Sheriff John Brown hated him and when he was trying to leave town one day, the Sheriff was there aiming to shoot him down so he shot the Sheriff in self dense.

I Shot The Sheriff
by Bob Marley

I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy.
I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy.


All around in my home town
They're trying to track me down.
They say they want to bring me in guilty
For the killing of a deputy,
For the life of a deputy.
But I say:


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:


I shot the sheriff, but I swear it was in self-defense.
I shot the sheriff, but I swear it was in self-defense.


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:


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:


I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy, oh no.
I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy, oh no.

Answer 2

Bob Marley Shot The Sheriff

Answer 3

He didn't. Eric Clapton did!

Shot the sheriff in self defense, but he did not shoot the deputy. I think sheriff John Brown wasted the deputy!

I Shot The Sheriff
Written by Bob Marley
as recorded by:
Eric Clapton


I shot the sheriff
But I did not shoot the deputy
I shot the sheriff
But I did not shoot the deputy

All around in my home town
They're trying to track me down
They say they want to bring me in guilty
For the killing of a deputy
For the life of a deputy

But I say, 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:

I shot the sheriff
But I swear it was in self-defense
I shot the sheriff
But I swear it was in self-defense

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, 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, I shot the sheriff
But I did not shoot the deputy, oh no
I shot the sheriff
But I did not shoot the deputy, oh no

Answer 4

Bob Marley wrote the words and Eric Clapton sang the song. He shot the sheriff because Sheriff John Brown did not like him and he shot him in self defense because the sheriff tried to shoot him first. The deputy wasn't around at the time.

Answer 5

"Bob Marley here tells a story from the point of view of a narrator who admits to having killed the local sheriff, and claims to be falsely accused of having killed the deputy sheriff.

This song was first released in 1973 on The Wailers' album Burnin'. Marley explained his intention as follows: “I want to say ‘I shot the police’ but the government would have made a fuss so I said ‘I shot the sheriff’ instead… but it’s the same idea: justice.”"
-http://rock.genius.com/Bob-marley-i-shot-the-sheriff-lyrics

Answer 6

Because the Sherriff was fat *ss lawman who gave our Bob a lot of hassles! The man couldn´t even grow his SEED in peace!
And the Deputy forgot to duck.
Seriously:
Tells the story of a man who shoots a sheriff who is harassing him, but is wrongly accused of killing the deputy. Marley said that some of the song is true, but would not say which parts.

Answer 7

Listen to the lyrics, the Sheriff is the one that didn't like him. He was the one that came to shoot him down. He just shot him in self defense. He says he didn't shoot the deputy to say he wasn't crazy and that he only shot the Sheriff in self defense.

Answer 8

He was admitting that he shot the sheriff and presumably, he was charged with two shootings, the other being the deputy. He was pleading Guilty to the death of the Sheriff and Not Guilty to the killing of the Deputy............

Answer 9

He shot sheriff john brown in self defense. If he's guilty He will pay. The deputy didn't have a gun pointed at him, the sheriff did.

Answer 10

Bob Marley Shooting