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 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 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 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 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 shot the deputy. yeah!
I - i (shot the sheriff) -
But i didn't shoot no deputy, yeah! no, yeah!