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

All around in my hometown
They're tryin' to track me down
They say they want to bring me in guilty
For the life of a deputy
For the life of a deputy
But I say

I shot the sheriff
(But I swear it was in self-defense) I swear it was in self-defense, yeah
It was I shot the sheriff
And they say it is a capital offense

Sheriff John Brown always hated me
For what, I don't know
Every time I plant a seed
He said kill them before it grow
He said kill them before they grow
And so

And so

I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot the deputy
It was I shot the sheriff
(But I didn't shoot the deputy) I didn't shoot the deputy, no, no

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, yes, I shot, shot him down
And I say

I-I-I-I shot the sheriff
Lord, I didn't shoot the deputy
(No, no, no)
It was I who shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot the deputy

Reflexes had the better of me
And what is to be must be
Every day the bucket goes to the well
I say, one day the bottom a-go drop out
One day the bottom will drop out
And so
And so
Really sing

I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot the deputy
(No, no, no)
I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot the deputy