I shot the sheriff, but I didn't shot no deputy! Oh no oh!
I shot the sheriff, but I didn't shot no deputy! Ooh-ooh-ooh!
Yeah, all around in my home town
They're trying to track me down, yeah
They said they want to bring me in guilty
For the killing of a deputy
For the life of a deputy
But I say, oh no-no
Oh, I shot the sheriff (the sheriff)
But I swear it was in self defense
(Lord knows) ooh-ooh-ooh, yere
I say I shot the sheriff (oh Lord!)
And they say it is a capital offense
Ooh-ooh-ooh, yere
Sheriff John Brown always hated me
For what I don't know
Everytime I plant a seed
He say kill it before it grow
He say kill them before they grow
And so, and so
Reading in the news
I shot the sheriff (oh Lord!)
But I swear it was in self defense
Where was the deputy?
I say I shot the sheriff
But I swear it was in self defense, yere (ooh!...)
Freedom came my way one day
And I started out of town yere
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
I shot the sheriff (but I say)
But I didn't shot no deputy!
I didn't shot no deputy no!
I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shot no deputy! Ooh-ooh-ooh
Reflexes had the better of me
And what is to be must be
Everyday 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 no deputy no!
Yere, I, I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shot no deputy! Yere, so, yere.