Screamin' Jay Hawkins — I shot the sheriff

I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy, no no no no I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy, I'm tellin' you so All around in my home town They are trying to track me down They all say they want to bring me in guilty For the killing of a deputy, ahahaha For the life of a deputy, but I say, ooh! I shot the sheriff, but I swear it was in self-defense, gotta protect myself you know I shot the sheriff, but they say it was a capital offense, ahahaha Sheriff John Brown always hated me For what, I don't know Every time that I planted a seed He said, "Kill it! Before it grows" He said, "Kill it! Before it grows", but I say I shot the sheriff, but I swear it was in self-defense, an I'm not lying either I shot the sheriff, I repeat I gotta tell you again it was in self defense Freedom came my way one day And I started out of town All of a sudden I see that sheriff John Brown With his pistol, trying to shoot me down So I shot, I mean I shot him down, but I say, ooh! I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy, ? I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy, you guys quit messing with brother Clinton Reflexes got the better of me And what is used to be, it must be Every day the bucket goes to the well But one day the bottom will drop out I repeat, one day the bottom will drop out, but I say, oh Look out, for the IG Look out for the FBI Look out for the Scotland Yard And here comes Yeltsin, KGB Yes I haven't got a baseball bat Korea's got its problems too Kabila, he don't like, Mobuto And ? made friends with China Lookout for the North West Mounted Police Shoot 'im, yo-yo-yo-yo-yo-yo-yo-yo yo-o-o! Give me my double barreled shotgun Let me blow his brains out of his head Let me stomp on his great big ol' fat toe I shot the sheriff, I lose my breath I got to run, police got guns I can't go fast, they wanna kick my knee Oh I shot the sheriff, why can't I see I shot the sheriff, it's the end of me