I Fought the Law

Talk about a song that can stand the test of time. This is one of my ALL-TIME favorite songs, sliced and diced a few different ways – it’s come a long way, baby.

The Original Version
Written by Sonny Curtis and performed by The Crickets (post-Buddy Holly):

(My apologies for the lack of video, but these poppies/petunias are awfully pretty, aren’t they?)

Bobby Fuller 4:

The Clash:

Green Day (live version) – btw, I still think that Green Day should do an entire album covering The Clash songs…:

Social Distortion (I love Mike Ness’s voice/sound):

According to Wikipedia:
Cover versions of “I Fought the Law” have also been performed and/or recorded by Bryan Adams, John Cougar Mellencamp, Bruce Springsteen, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty, Social Distortion, Mike Ness, Hank Williams Jr, Waylon Jennings, Green Day, The Ramones, Grateful Dead, Stray Cats, Mary’s Danish, Mano Negra, the Big Dirty Band, Nonstop Body/Lolita No. 18, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Sex Pistols, Attaque 77, Die Toten Hosen, Status Quo, Nanci Griffith and numerous other artists. For the 2003 film, Intermission, Colin Farrell recorded a version of the song, singing it in the guise of his character in the film.