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I Shot the Sheriff Lyrics by UB40

TwentyFourSeven

2008

I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot no deputy, oh no! Oh!
I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot no deputy, ooh, ooh, oo-ooh
Yeah! All around in my home town
They're tryin' 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
But I say
Oh, now, now. Oh!
(I shot the sheriff) The sheriff
(But I swear it was in self defence)
Oh, no! (Ooh, ooh, oo-oh) Yeah!
I say: I shot the sheriff - Oh, Lord! -
(And they say it is a capital offence)
Yeah! (Ooh, ooh, oo-oh) Yeah!
Sheriff John Brown always hated me
For what, I don't know
Every time I plant a seed
He said kill it before it grow
He said kill them before they grow
And so
Read it in the news:
(I shot the sheriff) Oh, Lord!
(But I swear it was in self-defence)
Where was the deputy? (Oo-oo-oh)
I say: I shot the sheriff
But I swear it was in self defence (Oo-oh) Yeah!
Freedom came my way one day
And I started out of town, yeah!
All 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
(I shot the sheriff)
But I say (But I didn't shoot no deputy)
I didn't shoot no deputy (oh, no-oh), oh no!
(I shot the sheriff) I did!
But I didn't shoot no deputy, oh! (Oo-oo-ooh)
Reflexes had got the better of me
And what is to be must be
Every day the bucket a-go a well
One day the bottom a-go drop out
One day the bottom a-go drop out
I say
I, I, I, I shot the sheriff
Lord, I didn't shoot the deputy, yeah!
I, I (shot the sheriff)
But I didn't shoot no deputy, yeah!
No, yeah!
Credits
UB40

UB40

About “I Shot the Sheriff” by UB40

Read the complete lyrics to "I Shot the Sheriff" by UB40 from the album "TwentyFourSeven" in 2008. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Reggae, Pop.

"I Shot the Sheriff" is performed by UB40. from the album "TwentyFourSeven" in 2008 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "I Shot the Sheriff", explore more songs by UB40 using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"I Shot the Sheriff" is credited to UB40. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"I Shot the Sheriff" appears on "TwentyFourSeven" in 2008.

Visit the UB40 artist page at /artist/ub40 for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.