Lyrics for I Fought The Law as interpreted by Kpizzle

I Fought The Law Lyrics
Drinkin’ beer in the hot sun
I fought the law and I won
I needed sex and I got mine
I fought the law and I won

The law don’t mean shit if you’ve got the right friends
That’s how the country’s run
Twinkies are the best friend I’ve ever had
I fought the law
And I won

I blew George & Harvey’s brains out with my six-gun
I fought the law and I won
Gonna write my book and make a million
I fought the law and I won

I’m the new folk hero of the Ku Klux Klan
My cop friends think that’s fine
You can get away with murder if you’ve got a badge
I fought the law
And I won
I am the law
So I won

Interaction
Mail to a friend Send Lyrics to a Friend
Share on Facebook

Stumble It
Add to Del.icio.us Add to Del.icio.us




  • 26 Comments
  • Printer Friendly Lyrics
oldest first     Expand All
posterwithnoname
04-27-2002

Rated 0 
This version of the Bobby Fuller song is about Dan White, a right-wing San Francisco politician who killed Mayor George Moscone and Harvey Milk, who was the first openly gay politician elected to political office. His lawyers used what would be known as the twinkie defense. White had been in a state of teporary insanity as a result of eating too much junk food. The jury apparently bought it, and he recieved a lighter verdict than probably deserved. The police were on his side and they helped him out.

Log in to reply
TimBuck2
04-27-2002

Rated 0 
never knew that story, thanks for that bit of trivia... Love this song...

Log in to reply
LulusXe
05-14-2002

Rated 0 
Wow,, awesome song,,

Log in to reply
twistah
06-09-2002

Rated 0 
The best explanation of this song and the entire Dan White story is here: http://www.backdoor.com/CASTRO/milk/whitepage.html

It's just like the previous poster said, except it also involved some politics, not just the gay issue. White was about to resign his position as supervisor, due to lack of money, when the conservative police order offered financial assistance. The mayor, who knew White was a major conservative roadblock to his re-election and liberal policies, decided to not let White take back his decision. Enraged, White broke into City Hall and shot both the mayor and Milk execution style. Upon hearing the news, the SF cops cheered. The prosecution presented a weak case and the Twinkie Defense got White only 7 years jail on a manslaughter charge. Upon doing his full sentence in jail, he was released, and comitted suicide shortly thereafter.

Log in to reply
battybat17
09-05-2002

Rated 0 
didn't the Clash also cover it?

Log in to reply
twistah
09-07-2002

Rated 0 
If I recall correctly, the Clash covered the original song -- I Fought the Law (And The Law Won) by The Crickets. The Dead Kennedys' version is heavily modified to explain the Dan White story.

Log in to reply
posterwithnoname
03-27-2003

Rated 0 
I didn't mean to imply that the murders were based on sexual orientation.

Log in to reply
shadowwiththeeyes
06-06-2004

Rated 0 
I prefer this to the Clash version. More attitude. The Clash still kick ass though. Never heard the original.

Log in to reply
ubermax
06-12-2004

Rated 0 
According to the Give Me Convenience CD booklet, this song was released as a handout to protesters at Dan White's prison release.

Dan White should have been strung up.

Log in to reply
kmk_natasha
01-22-2005

Rated 0 
I never heard the original, but I've always liked this version more than the Clash's. Although the Clash does kick serious ass. So I guess, same thing that shadow said.

Log in to reply
AirCav1stOfThe9th
03-08-2005

Rated 0 
fucking great song.

"I AM The Law, so I WON!"

Log in to reply
River Wolf
05-20-2005

Rated 0 
Pure Kick ass, i love how they change it to

"I FOUGHT THE LAW AND I WON."

THe Clash's version rocks too

Log in to reply
benmuzz
06-03-2005

Rated 0 
"Gonna write my book and make a million"
- Did Dan White publish his memoirs? or is it a reference to some other murderer?

Log in to reply
shadowwiththeeyes
06-14-2005

Rated 0 
As far as I know, he never did (even though there's plenty of books about his trial). I think it's more of a comment on him "winning", how he can get off light and then profit from his infamy. Remember, this was written before he got out, so Jello didn't know what White was gonna do.

Log in to reply
freehat17
09-27-2005

Rated 0 
Green Day did a cover of the original too.

Log in to reply
Baller
01-04-2006

Rated 0 
I should correct something. The "twinkie defense" didn't say he was depressed because he ate too many twinkies. The defense said that his recent excessive consumption of twinkies was a symptom of depression which, according to his lawyer, was a "migitating circumstance" (meaning it should lessen the sentence). White had resigned from his position as supervisor after an initiative to fire gay teachers, which White supported, was defeated. He had later asked Moscone to restate him, but Msocone and Milk opted instead for a more progressive replacement without White's knowlege, causing the assassination.

Log in to reply
Lord_Hypnos
01-14-2006

Rated 0 
this song has been covered by the dead kennedy's, the clash, the grateful dead, johnny cash, some little faggot country guy, but it still kicks ass.

Log in to reply
rhons
01-15-2006

Rated 0 
This song is one of the best protest songs. It speaks about the specific event of Dan White but transends its time because politics in the US is still so corrupt and corporate criminals still get light sentnces despite hurting so many ppl.

Log in to reply
shadowwiththeeyes
03-06-2006

Rated 0 
Cheack out "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carrol" by Bob Dylan as well. Although you should also go on wikipedia and read about the extenuating sircumstances in that case.

Log in to reply
minosha
08-17-2006

Rated 0 
The bobby fuller five is better than any cover of this song... I didn't exactly like this one though.

Log in to reply
Bullzeye
02-26-2007

Rated 0 
Baller's right, the fact that White ate tons of Twinkies was supposed to prove he was depressed, and therefore deserving of a light sentence.
The Twinkie Defense had nothing to do with sugar making Dan White crazy.

And frankly, Jello's either a fucking tool of the media or a lying propagandist for repeating that myth in his spoken word bits.

Log in to reply
1 Reply
Violentpacifist
04-19-2007

Rated 0 
Or maybe in his opinion being depressed does not mean you should get a lighter sentence. After this case San Francisco completly changed the migating circumstances rule so obviously they agreed.

Log in to reply
FreePablo
04-26-2007

Rated 0 
Another bit of trivia: The cover of the Dead Kennedys first album is a picture taken during the White Night Riots where San Francisco's gay community rioted after the light sentence given to Dan White. Harvey Milk became a martyr to the gay community and recently SF decided to build a statue of him downtown.

Log in to reply
irena555crazy
08-24-2007

Rated 0 
so many sarcasm in this song...

Log in to reply
libertarianleft
02-05-2009

Rated 0 
there is another correction, Dan White did not serve the full seven years of his sentence. he was paroled after five. the dead kennedys were greatly inspired by the revolutionary ideas of the gay liberation movement of the 70s which turned into the reformist ideas of the modern gay rights movement.

Log in to reply




  • Add Your Comments
What does this song mean to you?

You must be logged in to post your comments.

Feel free to create an account with us, or log in with your existing account, to start adding your comments to songs.





Popular
Top:   Lyrics, Artists, Albums
Random:   Lyric, Artist, Album

Your Ad Here