Dead Kennedys – I Fought The Law

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Drinkin' beer in the hot sun
I fought the law and
I won
I fought the law and
I won

I needed sex and I got mine
I fought the law and
I won
I fought the law and
I won

The law don't mean shit
If you got the right friends
That's how this county's run
Twinkies are the best friend I ever had

I fought the law and
I won
I fought the law and
I won

I blew George and Harvey's brains out with my
Six gun!
I fought the law and
I won
I fought the law and
I won

Gonna write my book and make a million
I fought the law and
I won
I fought the law and
I won

I'm the new folk hero of the Ku Klux Klan
My cop friend thinks it's fun
You can get away with murder if you got a badge

I fought the law and
I won
I fought the law and
I won
I fought the law and
I won
I AM the law so I won

Send "I Fought The Law" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by Kpizzle

Track duration: 02:21

"I Fought the Law" as written by Sonny Curtis

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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27 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:Very good song. The Dead Kennedys version is the best, even better than the original one. They kept the riff from the original song and yet managed to put a speed up beat. Genious
    Flag ivankoon August 07, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Dan White initially resigned his position as he was unhappy with the progressive and liberal city politics in SF, and the appointment of a police chief who was open to homosexuals in the force (Dan White was an ex policeman, and actually left the force soon after he had stopped another officer from beating up a handcuffed black prisoner), and also to concentrate on running a restaurant. When it transipred the restaurant was failing, white asked for his seat back. As White was so opposed to the progressive politics championed by SF City Supervisor Harvey Milk and favoured by Mayor George Moscone, White was denied the re-appointment he requested. The following day, after dodging City Hall's metal detectors by climbing through a window, White shot and killed Moscone and Milk (George and Harvey).
    After White's trial and lenient sentence, the largely gay community of the Castro district in SF took to the streets in protest. Initially peaceful, the protest soon became aggressive, possibly due to attacks by police who had covered their badge numbers to avoid identification and attacked members of the protest and staged unnoficial raids in known gay bars throughout the district. When the crowd of approximately 5000 reached City Hall, police and security workers were initially unsure of how to react, not expecting the largely gay crowd to retaliate with force, and protest leaders including several of Harvey Milk's friends attempted to calm and hold back the crowd. Once the police had regained composure, these members were attacked by police with truncheons and night sticks despite clearly attempting to disperse the crowd. Further violence broke out on both sides. Acting mayor Dianne Feinstein (whom Jello Biafra ran against in the '79 SF mayoral elections) addressed the crowd and was hit by a flying object. Several police cars were destroyed, as well as many injuries on both sides, dozens of arrests and allegations against the police, and damage to the City Hall building. In the aftermath there were several 'retaliation attacks' by the police force in the gay districts of SF, again concealing their badge numbers.
    After serving 5 years of his 7 year sentence White returned to San Fransisco, despite a public appeal by Mayor Feinstein asking him not to, and attempted to rekindle his marriage, which swiftly fell apart. Soon after this, Dan White commited suicide, using a garden hose to breathe the carbon monoxide exhaust fumes from his car. The song 'The Town I Loved So Much' by Paddy Reilly was playing on the car's tape deck.
    Dan White apparently expressed deep remorse for his crimes several times. However, police officer Fank Falzon claims that White told him in 1984 that he planned to kill supervisor Carol Silver and California assemblyman Willy Lewis Brown as well as George and Harvey.
    Flag rockerrockeron August 19, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment: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.
    Flag libertarianlefton February 05, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:so many sarcasm in this song...
    Flag irena555crazyon August 24, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment: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.
    Flag FreePabloon April 26, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment: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.
    Flag Violentpacifiston April 19, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment: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.
    Flag Bullzeyeon February 26, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The bobby fuller five is better than any cover of this song... I didn't exactly like this one though.
    Flag minoshaon August 17, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment: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.
    Flag shadowwiththeeyeson March 06, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment: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.
    Flag rhonson January 15, 2006   Link

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