I Fought The Law

Lyrics: Sonny Curtis
Music: Sonny Curtis

This emerged as a--not universally popular--encore in 1993.

Breakin' rocks in the hot sun
I fought the law and the law won
I fougth the law and the law won

I needed money 'cause I had none
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won

I miss my baby and I feel so bad (note 1)
I guess my race is run
She was the best girl that I ever had
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won

Robbin' people with a six-gun
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won

I miss my baby and the good fun (note 2)
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won

I miss my baby and I feel so bad
I guess my race is run
She was the best girl that I ever had
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won

Notes
(1) the Bobby Fuller version is "I left my baby ..."
(2) on the tape I have, Garcia mumbles this line--something like "I needed money and the big fun"

Furthur Digital Downloads and CDs

Origins
"I Fought The Law" was written by Sonny Curtis, a songwriter and guitarist who joined the Crickets after Buddy Holly's death. The first version of this song seems to have been recorded by the Crickets in 1959, and released on their 1960 album "In Style With The Crickets. "Rock Obituaries", though, says that the first version was recorded by Ronnie Self. That's certainly possible--Ronnie Self and Sonny Curtis had worked together around this time--but I haven't found any other trace of this recording.

The song was a hit for the Bobby Fuller Four in 1966, and that remains the best-known version, readily available on compilations.

Futher Information
For more information on recordings see Matt Schofield's Grateful Dead Family Discography
For online chords and TAB see www.rukind.com