[Chorus]
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

[Verse 1]
Yeah, all around in my home town
They're trying to track me down, yeah
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

[Chorus]
I shot the sheriff, the sheriff
But I swear it was in self-defense, oh no
Ooh, ooh, ooh, yeah
I say, I shot the sherriff, oh Lord
And they say it is a capital offense, yeah
Ooh, ooh, ooh, yeah

[Verse 2]
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, and so
Read it in the news
[Chorus]
I shot the sheriff, oh Lord
But I swear it was in self-defense
Where was the deputy? Ooh, ooh, ooh
I say, I shot the sheriff
But I swear it was in self-defense, yeah
Ooh-ooh

[Verse 3]
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 (pay, pay, pay, pay, pay)

[Chorus]
I shot the sheriff
But I say, but I didn't shoot no deputy
I didn't shoot no deputy, oh no, ooh, ooh, ooh
I shot the sheriff, I did
But I didn't shoot no deputy, oh
Ooh, ooh, ooh

[Verse 4]
Reflexes had 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
[Outro]
I say
I-I-I, I shot the sheriff
Lord, I didn't shot the deputy, no
Yeah, I-I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot no deputy, yeah, so, yeah