Battle of versions - I fought the law

[sowhat]

I've chosen this one cause there's quite a few versions of it. Represented are underground acts as well as some more "conventional" ones. Please choose up to two favourites if you don't mind. And, if you don't mind, please tell which one(s) you consider to be the worst.
Clash

Big dirty band

Green day

Stray cats

Bobby Fuller

Dead Kennedys

Bruce Springsteen

The men they couldn't hang

Thug murder

Toodle pip.

[scotty]

The clash for me!

[wayang]

Yikes, Sheena! How could you leave out Social Distortion's version? It's almost as good as their original: "How Could Anyone Fall For A Drunk Like Me?"



As Mike Ness has pointed out:

"...I'm born to lose, and destined to fail..."

Is that what the kids mean by 'punk'?

[sowhat]

Yikes, Dane. Sorry, missed that. Sorry, cannot edit the vote field now cause there are votes already.

[paologregorio]

The original is classic, so it's in a league of it's own.

After the Clash covered the song, there's just no point in anyone else ever covering the song, though I prefer the Clash's studio version to the live cover, but the live version still kicks!!

Viscerally, I always want to nominate Springsteen for the worst version of anything, but his version's just blah. Yes, I know he's talented, I just don't like his image or anything he does. To each one's own.

I like the Dead Kennedys, but they tie with Thug Murder for having the most annoying version. Green Day and Social D are just Clash wannabees to me, so they don't even merit comment IMHO, and the rest, aside from the Stray Cats' pleasant traditional rendition of the song don't do a whole lot for me one way or another.

[winston]

Don't rush to judgement. Put me down for a vote to The Big Dirty Band...............

[sowhat]

Don't rush to judgement. Put me down for a vote to The Big Dirty Band...............

You may laugh, Brian, but i've voted for BDB as well... and Bobby Fuller.

[winston]

Does that mean I am beginning to like punk? I just think the Big Dirty Bands version is so full of energy that it makes all the rest seem dead by comparison.

[paologregorio]

Does that mean I am beginning to like punk? I just think the Big Dirty Bands version is so full of energy that it makes all the rest seem dead by comparison.

Yup, must mean you like punk. I'll send you a pair of creepers.

The Big Dirty Band's version sorta reminds me of Joan Jett after a second listen, and I mean that in a complimentary sense of course, but who's that guy in the TV screen in some of the shots screaming over the lead singer's vocals? Kinda annoying. Is it that the guy from STP, or Alice in Chains or something? Can't quite place him. The goofballs in the record store and on the street dtract from the video as well. Can't we have more shots of the band?

[sowhat]

Does that mean I am beginning to like punk? I just think the Big Dirty Bands version is so full of energy that it makes all the rest seem dead by comparison.

I cannot say whether it's punk or not. I just like the bass parts.

but who's that guy in the TV screen in some of the shots screaming over the lead singer's vocals? Kinda annoying. Is it that the guy from STP, or Alice in Chains or something? Can't quite place him.

According to the comments for the vid on the tube, it's actually two guys.

The first guy is Ian Thornley (Big wreck/Thornley), he's playing the guitar solo too.
The second one is Adam Gontier (Three Days Grace).

[wmthor]

I had to vote for the original.

[tennis_nick]

Buddy Holly!

[jps]

Big Dirty Band for! Gotta love Geddy's bass in that one. Plus that version has great energy to it.

[captsandwich]

The original is cool & all, but the Clash own this tune, as far as I am concerned.
The Big Dirty Band was a pile.
Th Dead Kennedy's version is amusing if you know the context.

[sowhat]

Bobby Fuller is the leader at the moment. Is this a punk forum or what?