Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros Perform "I Fought The Law" - Live at Bizarre Festival, Germany, 1999

This performance of "I Fought The Law" was recorded on August 21, 1999, at the Bizarre Festival at Butzweiler Hof in Cologne, Germany, and filmed by Rockpalast for WDR television. The song formed part of Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros' set alongside Mescaleros material and several songs associated with Strummer's years in The Clash. "I Fought The Law" was written by American songwriter Sonny Curtis and first recorded by his group, The Crickets, in 1960 following the death of Buddy Holly. Although the song achieved moderate success in its original form, it became far more widely known through later cover versions. The Clash recorded "I Fought The Law" in 1979. Their version was originally released on the EP "The Cost Of Living" and later appeared on numerous compilations, becoming one of the band's most recognisable recordings despite not being written by members of the group. The song's driving rhythm and rebellious lyric made it a natural fit for The Clash's live repertoire and it remained closely associated with the band throughout their career. By the time Strummer performed it with The Mescaleros in 1999, "I Fought The Law" had become one of the defining songs of his live shows. Positioned between newer material and Clash classics, it served as a reminder of the musical influences that helped shape both The Clash and Strummer's later work. #JoeStrummer #TheMescaleros #IFoughtTheLaw #SonnyCurtis #TheCrickets #TheClash #Rockpalast #BizarreFestival1999 #WDR #LiveArchive