Just as the song became a top ten hit, Bobby Fuller was found dead in his mother's parked automobile in a dirt parking lot near his Los Angeles, California apartment. The police considered the death an apparent suicide; "just about everyone who knew him disagreed",[1] however, believing instead that Fuller was murdered.
Dead Kennedys, in particular, wrote and recorded a different version as a comment on Dan White's 1978 murder of San Francisco mayor George Moscone and City Supervisor Harvey Milk, and White's subsequent use of the "Twinkie defense" to influence the court to convict him of the lesser charge of manslaughter. The song, sung from White's perspective, replaced the line "I fought the law and the law won" with "I fought the law and I won."
In 1989 during Operation Just Cause, when the U.S. Army had Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega confined to the Papal Nunciature, the Vatican's Embassy. Journalists at the scene mistook the playing of loud music including "I Fought the Law" loudly and repeatedly over loudspeakers as an attempt to flush out Noriega using PSYOPS tactics. In reality, the music was played to prevent the journalists hearing the negotiations taking place between the USA and Noriega. The Bobby Fuller Four version of this song is ranked #175 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
I Fought the Law
Mike Ness Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I needed money cause I had none , I fought the law and law won I fought the law and the law won.
I left my baby and i feel so bad, I guess my race is run. She's the best girl I've ever had,
I fought the law and the law won I fought the law and the law won.
Robben people with six gun, I fought the law and the law won 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 I fought the law and the law won.
I left my baby and i feel so bad, I guess my race is run. She's the best girl I've ever had,
I fought the law and law won I fought the law and the law won.
I fought the law and law won I fought the law and the law won.
I fought the law and law won I fought the law and the law.
The song "I Fought the Law" by Mike Ness tells the story of a man who rebels against the rules of society and ends up paying the price. The first verse mentions the singer breaking rocks in the hot sun, which can be interpreted as a punishment for a crime he committed. He then admits to fighting the law, but ultimately losing the battle. The second verse reveals that he needed money and resorted to robbery, resulting in him losing his girlfriend and the joy in his life.
In the chorus, the singer repeats that he fought the law and lost. He also mentions leaving behind the best girl he's ever had, which shows that he is aware of the negative impact that his actions had on others. The last line of the chorus, "I guess my race is run," suggests that he knows the consequences of his actions and that he is resigned to his fate.
Overall, the song can be seen as a cautionary tale about the consequences of breaking the law and engaging in criminal behavior. It also highlights the impact that such actions can have on one's loved ones. The repeated chorus reinforces this message and adds to the overall melancholy mood of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Breaking rocks in the hot sun, I fought the law and the law won I fought the law and the law won.
I was doing hard labor under the sun, but I still went against the law, and unfortunately the law prevailed.
I needed money cause I had none , I fought the law and law won I fought the law and the law won.
I was in dire need of some cash, so I disobeyed the law, but ultimately failed to get away with it.
I left my baby and i feel so bad, I guess my race is run. She's the best girl I've ever had, I fought the law and the law won I fought the law and the law won.
I had to leave my significant other, and it pains me deeply. I know I'll never find someone as amazing as her. Despite my defiance, I was unable to escape the law's grasp.
Robben people with six gun, I fought the law and the law won I fought the law and the law won.
Using a six-shooter, I held up people and took their possessions. However, my rebellion was met with defeat by the authorities.
I lost my girl and I lost my fun, I fought the law and the law won I fought the law and the law won.
My actions resulted in the loss of my lover and any enjoyment in life. Despite my efforts to fight back, I was overpowered by the law.
I fought the law and law won I fought the law and the law won.
I rebelled against the law, but they proved to be too powerful and in the end, they were victorious.
I fought the law and law won I fought the law and the law won.
Again, I opposed the law, but like before, I was unable to emerge as the winner.
I fought the law and law won I fought the law and the law.
In the last refrain of the song, I still attempted to fight the law, but the result was the same - I lost to their authority.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Sonny Curtis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind