I Shot the Sheriff

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, oo-ooh

Yeah! All around in my home town

They're 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 self defence)

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 don't 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 self defence (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 didn't shoot no deputy)

I didn't shoot no deputy (oh, no-oh), oh no!

(I shot the sheriff) I did!

But I didn't 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 didn't shoot the deputy, yeah!

I, I (shot the sheriff)

But I didn't shoot no deputy, yeah!

No, yeah!