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 hometown
They're tryin' to track me down, yeah
They say they want to bring me in guilty
For the k**ing 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
Ooh, ooh, ooh
I said, I shot the sheriff, Oh Lord
And they say it is a capital offense
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Hear this
Sheriff John Brown always hated me
For what I don't know
Ev'ry time I plant a seed
He said, "k** it before it grows."
He said, "k** them before they grow."
And so, oh, now, now
Read it in the news
I shot the sheriff, but I swear it was in self defense
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Where was the deputy?
I said I shot the sheriff but I swear it was in self defense
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
I shot the sheriff, but I say, but I didn't shoot no deputy
Ooh, no, oh
I shot the sheriff, but I didn't shoot no deputy
Ooo, ooo, ooh
Reflexes had the better of me
And what is to be must be
Ev'ry 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, but I didn't shoot the deputy, no
I shot the sheriff, but I didn't shoot the deputy