I shot the sheriff, but I didn′t shoot no deputy

Oh, no, no

I shot the sheriff, but I didn't shoot no deputy

Ooh, ooh

All around in my hometown

They′re tryin' to track me down

They say they want to bring I in guilty

For the life of a deputy, for the life of a deputy, now

But I say

Oh, I shot the sheriff, but I swear it was in self-defense

Ooh, ooh, ooh

It was I, I shot the sheriff

And they say it is a capital offense

Ooh, ooh

Sheriff John Brown always hated

For what? I don't know

Every time I plant a seed

He say, "Kill them before they grow"

He say, "Kill them before they grow", now

And so

And so

I shot the sheriff, love I didn′t shoot no deputy

It was I, I shot the sheriff, but I didn′t shoot no deputy

Ooh, ooh

You see freedom came my way one day

And I started out of town, yeah

Then, all of a sudden I saw Sheriff John Brown

He was aiming to shoot I down

So I shot, oh yes I shot

I shot him down, yeah

And I say

Oh, I shot the sheriff, but I didn't shoot no deputy

Oh, no, no

It was, I shot the sheriff, but I didn′t shoot no deputy

Ooh, ooh

Reflexes had the better of I

What is to be must be, yeah

Every day some bucket goes to the well

One day the bottom will drop out

One day the bottom a-go drop out

And so, yeah

And so

Read it in the news

I shot the sheriff, but I didn't shoot no deputy

Ooh, ooh