I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy
All around in my hometown
They're tryin' to track me down
They say they want to bring me in guilty
For the killing of the deputy
For the life of the deputy, but I swear
Sheriff John Brown always hated me
For what, I don't know
Every time that I plant a seed,
He'd say kill it before it grows
He'd say kill it before it grows
Freedom came my way one day
So I started out of town, yeah
All of the sudden I see sheriff John Brown
Aimin' to shoot me down
So I shot, I shot him down, but I swear
Reflexes are the better of me
And what is to be must be
Every day the bucket goes to the well
One day the bottom will drop out
One day the bottom will drop out