"I Fought the Law" is one of those songs most people seem to know in some context. To most people it's probably "that Clash song," and to a select few, the song is more accurately known as being originally recorded in 1959 (in D) by Sonny Curtis and the Crickets. (of 'Mary Tyler Moore Show theme song fame). Conjuring up the image of a petty criminal working in the prison yard, it was a slow, twangy song, wont to gain much popularity until 1965 when the Bobby Fuller Four took their cover (in G) and made it a surfy hit (Rolling Stone's #175 of greatest 500 songs of...ever).
20 years after the original, The Clash came out with their rendition of the song (back in D) which kept several elements of the Bobby Fuller Four's version, but added a dash of british punk as well. In 1987, the Dead Kennedys took a stab at the song (in G) and changed the lyrics so that they dealth with a 1978 murder case.
The most recent (and well known) cover was done by Green Day (in F) modeled mostly after The Clash's cover than any of the other recordings. This version, used to promote Apple computers, seemed to relate more to piracy charges than 50s stick-ups. Some may agree that Green Day's cover was so similar to The Clash's that it might not have warranted a cover.
While plenty other covers of this song pop up here and there, an interesting cover I obtained (in G) was by The International Beat. It's a reggae/ska version which makes it stand out from the punk or rock and roll versions, but stays relatively true to its predecessors.
Lyrics
Lyrics to the Dead Kennedys version
I couldn't really say what made this song garner so much attention but I hypothesize that songs with simple lyrics and an equally simple, catchy melody are easy to cover and therefore readily covered. Perhaps now I'll have to wait for a mashup - I Fought the Law (But I Did Not Shoot the Deputy).
Tomorrow: Dave Grohl.
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3 comments:
You know, it's always interesting when a band covers a song in a different key. Sometimes it may be the simple issue of the particular singer's range. But still, a key change results in a totally different sound. D is so much more bright than F as a key, and changes the song's tone for me completely.
The Sex Pistols also did a rendition of this song.
Good words.
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