Tell me do you really know
your brother man
cause a heart speaks louder
than a color can
and why would you even
shake a man's hand
if you're not going
to help him stand

Jah work
Jah work
Jah work is never done

Every man's actions
belong to he
if prepared for thereafter
to each his destiny
some people believe
and some people know
some people deceive
and some people show

Jah work
Jah work
Jah work is never done

You must do the heaviest
so many shall do none
you have got to stand firm
so many shall run
some they rest their head at night
some get no sleep at all
if you listen close to what you see
you will hear the call

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, ooh

Yeah! All around in my home town
They're tryin' to track me down, yeah
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
(But I swear it was in self-defence) oh no, oh, oh, ooh
Yeah, I say, I shot the sheriff oh, Lord (and they say it is a capital offence)
Yeah, yeah! Hear that

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-and-so
Read it in the news!

oh, Lord!
But I swear it was in self-defence
Where was the deputy? (Ooh, ooh, ooh)
I say, I shot the sheriff
But I swear it was in self-defence, yeah! (Ooh)

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 (pay, pay, pay, pay...)

but I say but I didn't shoot no deputy
I didn't shoot no deputy, no (ooh, ooh, ooh)
(I shot the sheriff) I agree
(But I didn't shoot no deputy) oh
(Ooh, ooh, 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 shot the deputy, no
I, I (shot the sheriff)
But I didn't shoot no deputy yeah
So, yeah