I fought the law
Crickets (with Buddy Holly) Lyrics
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I fought the law and the law won
I needed money cause I had none
I fought the law and the law won
I left my baby and it feels so bad
Guess my race is run
Shes the best girl that I ever had
Robbin people with a six-gun
I fought the law and the law won
I lost my girl and I lost my fun
I fought the law and the law won
The lyrics to Crickets' "I Fought The Law" tell the story of a man who is struggling to make ends meet and decides to turn to crime to get the money he needs. He is caught by the law and sentenced for robbing people with a six-gun. The man also feels the consequences of his actions as he has lost his girl and all his fun because of his decision to break the law. The lyrics "Breakin rocks in the hot sun" may allude to prison work detail where the punishment for the convicted involved breaking down large rocks into smaller ones.
The line "I fought the law and the law won" is significant in the sense that it could be seen as a metaphor for the inevitability of the law - you cannot win against it. The singer of the song tries to fight against the legal system, but ultimately, it lands him in jail. This statement also takes on a larger cultural significance as a catchphrase, with the refrain being used as an anthem of rebellion.
Interesting facts about the song include that it was written by Sonny Curtis in 1958 as he was going through a painful divorce. The song is also notable for having been recorded by various artists, including the Bobby Fuller Four, Dead Kennedys, and Green Day. It is also frequently used in film and television, including in the movies "The Wild Angels" and "Clueless" and in various TV shows like "Breaking Bad" and "The Sopranos". Another interesting fact is that the song's original title was "I Fought The Law (And The Law Won)" but it was shortened by producer Snuff Garrett to make for a catchier chorus.
The song's chord progression consists of a repeating series of E, A, and B chords both at the verse and the chorus.
Chords:
Verse: E A B
Chorus: E A B
Line by Line Meaning
Breakin rocks in the hot sun
I was forced to do hard labor in the sun as punishment.
I fought the law and the law won
I tried to resist the law but ultimately failed and was punished.
I needed money cause I had none
I was desperate for money due to my financial circumstances.
I left my baby and it feels so bad
Leaving my loved one behind was one of the hardest things I've ever done.
Guess my race is run
I feel defeated and that my time has run out.
Shes the best girl that I ever had
My girl is the most amazing person I've ever been with.
Robbin people with a six-gun
I resorted to theft and violence to get what I wanted.
I lost my girl and I lost my fun
In addition to being punished for breaking the law, I also lost the things that brought me happiness.
Contributed by Liliana B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Thgoatofalltime
A-breakin' rocks in the hot sun
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won
I miss my baby and a good fun
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won
I left my baby and I feel so bad
Guess my race is run
She's the best girl that I've ever had
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won
A-robbin' people with the zip gun
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won
I needed money 'cause I had none
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won
I left my baby and I feel so bad
Guess my race is run
She's the best girl that I've ever had
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won
Joe Palooka
I grew up on the Bobby Fuller version, but I love the Crickets original the best. It reflects a wonderful time in musical history, when Buddy Holly and the Crickets were enormously talented young guys growing up together and creating some of the greatest original music of all time. Sonny Curtis is a songwriting genius. Anyone who could write a song like this is a real talent. All the hit songs he wrote in later life just prove it even more.
Jackie Selvey
I rember them. Thanks
JumpingTomato
I agree. I grew up with The Clash version. But I just saw a music video of Bobby Fuller doing this song, and I love it.
Patrick Lemire
Sonny Curtis wrote it so this isn’t a cover
Amaruq's Scrapyard
The one song that seemingly compliments with a majority of rock genres. No matter what coat of paint a band gives it, it'll still sound fresh and lovely. Whether it'd be classic rock, surf rock, hard rock, punk rock, etc.
dave davis
that beats certainly got the snap of a nice peace of celery x I dig that x
Adrienne Maller
How I wish Buddy would have sang this song with the Crickets as his back-ups. R.I.P. ETERNALLY BUDDY. You were the best & just about to make the big time. You at least made a huge impact on some of the "greats" today.
Ready-Adhesiveness40
There's a great Sonny Curtis interview on YT - it's a bit long but has info about this song towards the end. I was born in 59 and it took me 60 years to finally hear the original and I'm not dissapointed. Never knew it as a Zip Gun, always thought it was a Six Gun. The fact that he used a zip gun makes the song even better, because they were more dangerous to the shooter than to the target. This is now my favorite, but there's been a few outstanding versions, Bobby Fuller and The Clash of course, but I've heard bands do inspired versions at local bars and clubs. A great first song for a young band to learn, and it always pleases an audience if done well.
Chuffpup
Yeah that interview is fascinating, got me back to this song too. Zip guns new to me as well... I know what it is though. I was born in 61, funny to think I was a punk. (Punk rock). Respect for Sonny Curtis, those boys were trail blazers.
FPS Alan
Ok this is the original one....
I came here because of video of jester arrested for parachuting jump from the bridge... The copyright song belongs to greenday... And the i look up theres a band called the clash n then look up again deeper i thought this song belongs to boby flour for... But somehow the crickets is the original one... This really fascinating to knew about the song that really get cover over2 m over 😂😂
Ok im editing this. This song belongs to sonny curtis apparently 🤣🤣