Lyrics:

I shot the sheriff, but I didn't shoot no deputy
I shot the sheriff, but I didn't shoot no deputy
All around in my OWN town
They're trying 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
I shot the sheriff, but I swear it was in self-defense
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 that I plant a seed
He said, \'Kill it before it grows.\'
He said, \'Kill them before they grow.\'
I say:
I shot the sheriff, but I swear it was in self-defense
I shot the sheriff, but I swear it was in self-defense
All around in my OWN town
They're trying 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
Freedom came my way one day
And I started out of town
All of a sudden I SAW sheriff Brown
Aiming to shoot me down
So I shot, I shot shot him down
I shot the motherf***er down
I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy
I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy