I shot the sheriff
But I did not shoot no deputy
I shot the sheriff
But I did not shoot no deputy, no, no

All around my home town
They're tryin' to track me down
Yes, they say they want to bring me in guilty, yah
For the killing of a deputy
For the life of a deputy
And I say
If I am guilty I will pay

I shot the sheriff
But I did not shoot no deputy
I shot the sheriff
But I swear it was in self-defence, yeah oo yeah

Sheriff John Brown always hated me
For what, I don't know
Every time I try to plant a seed, yah
They said kill it before it grows
They said kill it before it grows
And I say
If I am guilty I will pay

I shot the sheriff
But I did not shoot no deputy
I shot the sheriff
But I swear it was in self-defence
Take it away, take it away, take it away, now DJ

Well I shot the sheriff, the sheriff dead shot
It was self-defence, I had to run from the cops
?? soldier-man
Police knock 'pon me door, what a tatatatata
I'm an innocent man, I did not commit no crime
As far as I know it's their word against mine
You be ?? unless you free your mind
United we stand and together we shine
They lock me up before but not this time
So listen to the lyrics coming from the punch line

And so..
I shot the sheriff
But I did not shoot no deputy, no, no..
It was I! I shot the sheriff
And they say it was a capital offence

Freedom came my way one day
And I started out of town
And al 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
If I am guilty I will pay