I Shot the Sheriff
"I Shot the Sheriff" is a song written by Bob Marley and released in 1973. It has been covered by Eric Clapton and Warren G.
Theme
The story is told 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. The narrator also claims to have acted in self-defense when the sheriff tried to shoot him. The 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."
In 1992, with the controversy surrounding the Ice-T heavy metal song "Cop Killer", Marley's song was often cited by Ice-T's supporters as evidence of his detractors' hypocrisy considering the older song was never similarly criticized despite having much the same theme.
In 2012, Bob Marley's former girlfriend revealed the origin of the lyrics. To the surprise of many, she explained that the lyrics, "Sheriff John Brown always hated me, For what, I don't know: Every time I plant a seed, He said kill it before it grow" was actually in response to the fact that Marley was very opposed to her use of birth control pills. Marley's opposition to birth control led Marley to substitute the word "sheriff" for "doctor".
The Awesome
I am the awesome
You see me flossin', watch me walk upon your face
Make that incision
I leave you itchin' just to join my monster race
Say I'm just messin'
Yea well I'm pissed and I can keep an even key
You think you know me
But you can blow me cause you don't know how I feel
It's Childish Gambino, ho
What you know about that?
Niggas 'fraid to go outside, they some house cats
Cause if they see me, they might have to act right
I'm livin' life right, like I got a past life
Boy I got a flashlight
Check my fuckin' hoodie skin
Like God was makin' light and threw my hoodie in
Bambi, naw nigga that's my pseudonym
Call me Elroy
Nigga we some hooligans
And just in case, I keep a million in the glove box
Blast this shit from in your car to make the hood rock
Ice cold, bright colors, like a juice pop
And if you try to touch my shit I'll make your juice pop
Yes I get a two spot just for fuckin' showin' up
Boy it's me, T.N.T., boy I'm blowin' up
Nigga throw it up
Boy, I am the awesome
Call me Elroy
Or Mr. "Hey, how much it cost him"
Okay!
Rackin' 'em, stackin' 'em, packin' these ballers
Bleedin' These hoes I carve ‘em with a big carver
Stiff Like Barbara's
I pack a punch like a bunch of starbursts
Back up ma, let me celebrate your suit
Like five toes cuz you gonna get the boot
Like five guys cuz ____________
Underground sound I reiterate “Roots” what the minute men lose, what the little man grew, his crew while they wrestle in the nude, can't handle the truth, I prefer my own coop
With my hand on the mic and my mind on the move
Cryin'-on-The-View, Ridin' the wave, I'mma take a step that you bothered to save.