10 Hard Rock Cover Songs That Are Better Than The Original

The Clash were never a band to half-ass any note that played. No matter what kind of style of music you would find these punks performing, it always felt like it was coming from their heart and soul every time. Even when taking an old rock and roll tune from the '50s, the Clash put their impassioned spin on it in a way that few artists could.

In the original version of I Fought the Law, the Bobby Fuller Four treat the song more like a cautionary tale for teenagers, as our titular character talks about being thrown into the slammer after going a little too far over the line. Once you put it in the Clash's hands though, the song feels much more forceful, as Joe Strummer almost sounds like he's pleading not to be taken by the law enforcement on his tail.

Even if it's just a simple night in jail, Strummer's delivery feels like he's going to come out all guns blazing, as his band push and pull with every single drum hit. This anti-authority presentation has made it a staple in the punk community, with even bands like Green Day mining their own versions of the track. While the law may win this particular battle, you could argue that the Clash eventually won the war.