I's havin' a drink on Saturday night Big Joe Hooker tried to start a fight Now Joe was drunk and he was tough to beat Stood six foot five in his stockin' feet Joe laughed out loud and pulled a knife He told everyone he's gonna take my life He's too big to fight so I turn and ran And I bumped right into sheriff Sam Sheriff told Joe to go on home Sober up and leave the bottle alone But big Joe laughed he was a mean mean man And I started to pray for sheriff Sam Now ole Sam's hair was gettin' gray And I begged the sheriff to turn away But he just looked at me with an easy grin Said he was sheriff and he'd run Joe in Well Hooker made a swing with that deadly knife But Sam he just stepped aside And Hooker hit the floor and there he stayed Cause Sam hit him with a blow that shook the whole place When it was all over I could hardly believe That it was big Joe down there on his knees Cause I thought Joe was a mighty rough man But he don't hold a candle to sheriff Sam Now ole Sam's been our sheriff for thirty years I'm his deputy now and mighty glad he's here When he needs some help well I give him a hand But they don't make 'em anymore like sheriff Sam