(I shot the sheriff But I didnt shoot no deputy, oh no! oh! I shot the sheriff But I didnt shoot no deputy, ooh, ooh, oo-ooh.) Yeah! all around in my home town, Theyre tryin 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:
Oh, now, now. oh! (I shot the sheriff.) - the sheriff. (but I swear it was in selfdefence.) Oh, no! (ooh, ooh, oo-oh) yeah! I say: I shot the sheriff - oh, lord! - (and they say it is a capital offence.) Yeah! (ooh, ooh, oo-oh) yeah!
Sheriff john brown always hated me, For what, I dont know: Every time I plant a seed, He said kill it before it grow - He said kill them before they grow. And so:
Read it in the news: (I shot the sheriff.) oh, lord! (but I swear it was in self-defence.) Where was the deputy? (oo-oo-oh) I say: I shot the sheriff, But I swear it was in selfdefence. (oo-oh) yeah!
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 didnt shoot no deputy), I didnt shoot no deputy (oh, no-oh), oh no! (I shot the sheriff.) i did! But I didnt shoot no deputy. oh! (oo-oo-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 didnt shot the deputy. yeah! I - I (shot the sheriff) - But I didnt shoot no deputy, yeah! no, yeah!