I Fought The Law - A History.

[Balanced for lean]

Nope,it`s not about me committing burglary or beating up lavatory attendants but a history of that famous song.

So sit back and let me tell you a story..

It all starts in deepest Texas in 1958 when Sonny Curtis writes the now classic song but probably can`t imagine the fame or history the song will be attached too.The song however wasn't recorded until 1959 when a plane crash over the skies of Iowa changed many peoples lives and maybe the face of music forever.People including Buddy Holly (a friend of Curtis) Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper all died in the horrific crash.

With the death of Buddy Holly,The Crickets (who Buddy was going to rejoin back up with after the current tour) where now looking for a lead vocalist/lead guitar player and guess who got the job?..yes Sonny Curtis.Can you think of the first song they recorded together?..yes right again I Fought The Law.



Back to the story..The song which was released on the album "In Style With The Crickets" in 1960 but it never got any air play and was destined to be a track that was going to be forgotten.Fours years later however a couple of other people did covers of the song most notably Bobby Fuller.Bobbies version is so good (and got so much air play) the song became synonymous with him and many people (like myself)thought he wrote it.The Bobby Fuller four version is one of my fav`s and makes a wonderful counterpoint to the more punk cover by The Clash.Plus the video has some lovely dancing girls in it.




The next bit is where it gets rather sinster...after just 6 months of the song reaching the Billboard Top 100 Bobby was found dead in his mother's car in Los Angeles dying of asphyxiation.The windows of the car were closed and on the seat beside him was can of gasoline 1/3 full.The offical report claimed he died of asphyxiation due to inhalation of gasoline but a lot of people found it all very suspicious and said the case was poorly handled.The Police apparentlly never check the gas can for finger prints etc.His body was covered in gasoline and burnt but it was also battered and bruised like he had been in a fight,his right finger was also broken.In a bad twist of fate it really did seem like the Law won.!

Coming full circle here is Sonny in 2004 perfoming the song with Albert Lee and Brian may amongest others.



Covers.. Their are lots of covers of this famous song from Bruce Springsteen,Green Day,Stray Cats,Grateful Dead and Status Quo .!My two favourites are Bobby Fuller and The Clash.

[fumbled time]

You forgot the Dead Kennedy's. Punk version. Nice little bit of history on the song BFL.

[pastor_bob]

Cool piece of history BFL. I honestly thought the Bobby Fuller version was the only one. I need to pay a little more attention!

[LudwigLifer]

I vote it as the New World Order International Anthem.