I shot the sheriff,

But I didn't shoot no deputy.

Oh, no, oh.

I shot the sheriff,

But I didn't shoot no deputy.

Ooh, ooh, ooh.

Yeah, All around in my home town,

They're tryin' to track me down, yeah.

They say they want to bring me in guilty,

For the killing of a deputy.

For the life of a deputy but I say,

Oh, now, now, oh..

I shot the sheriff,

But I swear it was in self defense.

Oh no. Ohh, ooh, ooh.

Yeah, I say, I shot the sheriff,

Oh Lord, and they say it is a capital offense.

Yeah, yeah, hear that.

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.”

He said, “kill them before they grow.”

and so, and so..

Read it in the news!

I shot the sheriff, Oh Lord,

But I swear it was in self defense.

Where was the deputy?

Ooh, ooh, ooh.

I say, I shot the sheriff,

But I swear it was in self defense, yeah.

Ooh.

Freedom came my way one day,

And I started out of town, yeah.

All of a sudden I saw Sheriff John Brown, Aiming to shoot me down.

So, I shot, I shot, I shot him down.

And I say If I am guilty I will pay.

Pay, pay, pay, pay...

I shot the sheriff,

But I say, but I didn't shoot no deputy.

I didn't shoot no deputy, no.

Ooh, ooh, ooh.

I shot the sheriff, I agree,

But I didn't shoot no deputy, oh.

Ooh, ooh, ooh.

Reflexes had got the better of me,

And what is to be must be.

Every day the bucket a-go a-well,

One day the bottom a-go drop out.

One day the bottom a-go drop out.

I say..

I, I, I, I shot the sheriff,

Lord, I didn't shot the deputy, no.

I, I shot the sheriff,

But I didn't shoot no deputy, yeah.

So, yeah.