I Fought The Law - Other Versions

Other Versions

Sam Neely's version of the song went to No. 54 on the Billboard pop charts and Mo. 61 on the country charts in 1975. Hank Williams Jr. had a No. 15 country hit with the song in 1978 and another country version by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band went to No. 66 in 1992.

The song has also been performed, both in concert and on record, by the Dead Kennedys who did a version with lyrics re-written about the Moscone-Milk assassinations. Dave Courtney, the London gangster, sang alongside Scottish pop-punks Mute, fronted by Jay Burnett, who wrote an updated version with lyrics based on Dave's legendary court case. Both this and the Dead Kennedys' version are titled "I Fought the Law and I Won".

In 1999, Mike Ness of Social Distortion covered the tune on his second solo effort, Under the Influences, which peaked at No. 174 on the Billboard 200 (November 27, 1999).

In addition, Ducks Deluxe, She Trinity, Beatsteaks, Viper, Bryan Adams, John Cougar Mellencamp, Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty, Social Distortion, Stiff Little Fingers, Mike Ness, Waylon Jennings, Gary Allan, Green Day, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Ska-P, the Jolly Boys, Grateful Dead, Stray Cats, Mary's Danish, Claude François, Mano Negra, the Big Dirty Band, Lolita No. 18, the Brian Jonestown Massacre, Attaque 77, Die Toten Hosen, Status Quo, Nanci Griffith, La Vida Bohème, Anti-Flag, Chumbawamba, Tsuyoshi Kawakami and His Moodmakers, the Airborne Toxic Event and numerous other artists have covered this song live or in studio. For the 2003 film Intermission, Colin Farrell recorded a version of the song, singing it in the guise of his character in the film. The Mary's Danish recording is featured in the film Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992), and the accompanying soundtrack release Buffy the Vampire Slayer Soundtrack.