| Gm | Gm | |
| I shot the sh | eriff, |
| Cm | Cm | Gm | Gm | Gm | Gm | |
| but I | did not shoot the | deputy. | === | === |
| Eb | Dm | Gm | Gm | |
| All a | round in my | home town |
| Eb | Dm | Gm | Gm | |
| they're | trying to | track me | down. |
| Eb | Dm | Gm | Gm | |
| They | say they want to | bring me in | guilty |
| Eb | Dm | Gm | Gm | |
| for the | killing of a | deputy, | === |
| Eb | Dm7 | Gm | Gm | |
| for the | killing of a | deputy, | === |
| Gm | Gm | Gm | Gm | |
| But I say: | === | === | === |
| refrain2(deux fois) |
| I shot the sheriff, |
| but I swear it was in selfdefence. |
| Sheriff John Brown always hated me |
| for what I don't know. |
| Ev'ry time that I plant a seed |
| he said "Kill it before it grow," (deux fois) |
| But I say: |
| (refrain2) |
| Freedom came my way one day |
| and I started out of town. |
| All of a sudden I see sheriff John Brown, |
| aiming to shoot me down. |
| So I shot, I shot him down. |
| But I say: |
| (refrain1) |
| Reflexes got the better of me |
| and what is to be must be. |
| Ev'ry day the bucket goes to the well, |
| but one day the bottom will drop out, |
| yes one day the bottom will drop out. |
| But I say: |