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

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  • 26 Comments
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rockerrocker
08-19-2009

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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.

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libertarianleft
02-05-2009

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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.

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irena555crazy
08-24-2007

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so many sarcasm in this song...

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FreePablo
04-26-2007

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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.

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Violentpacifist
04-19-2007

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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.

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Bullzeye
02-26-2007

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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.

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minosha
08-17-2006

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

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shadowwiththeeyes
03-06-2006

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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.

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rhons
01-15-2006

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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.

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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.

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Baller
01-04-2006

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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.

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freehat17
09-27-2005

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

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shadowwiththeeyes
06-14-2005

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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.

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benmuzz
06-03-2005

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

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River Wolf
05-20-2005

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Pure Kick ass, i love how they change it to

"I FOUGHT THE LAW AND I WON."

THe Clash's version rocks too

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AirCav1stOfThe9th
03-08-2005

Rated 0 
fucking great song.

"I AM The Law, so I WON!"

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kmk_natasha
01-22-2005

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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.

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ubermax
06-12-2004

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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.

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shadowwiththeeyes
06-06-2004

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

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posterwithnoname
03-27-2003

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

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twistah
09-07-2002

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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.

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battybat17
09-05-2002

Rated 0 
didn't the Clash also cover it?

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twistah
06-09-2002

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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.

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LulusXe
05-14-2002

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Wow,, awesome song,,

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TimBuck2
04-27-2002

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

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