| "I Fought the Law" | |
|---|---|
| Single by the Crickets | |
| from the album In Style With the Crickets | |
| A-side | "A Sweet Love" |
| Released | December 5, 1960 |
| Recorded | May 18, 1959[1] |
| Genre | Rock and roll |
| Length | 2:12 |
| Label | Coral |
| Songwriter(s) | Sonny Curtis |
| Producer(s) | Norman Petty |
"I Fought the Law" is a song written by Sonny Curtis of the Crickets and popularized by a cover by the Bobby Fuller Four, becoming a top-ten hit for the band in 1966. Their version of the song was ranked No. 175 on the Rolling Stone list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004, and the same year was named one of the 500 "Songs that Shaped Rock" by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
A version by Sam Neely charted in 1975. The song was also recorded by the Clash in 1979. A version with different lyrics was recorded by the Dead Kennedys in 1978.