Stop in the Name of These 15 Law Songs
Kenny Rogers Made This List, Even Without The Gambler
While at dinner the other night, we listened to several of the performers on the small stage to the right of our table. Most of the acts were doing classic rock, and one band did what I thought was a punk rock version of "Kodachrome."
It was, similar to the Nineties version of "Mrs. Robinson" done by the Lemonheads, a very interesting take on a Paul Simon tune. I mentioned, however, that I was much more a fan of his work with Garfunkel than his solo material.
My guest agreed for the most part, pointing out that she did like the Simon song called "It Was Against the Law." I thankfully did not correct her, even though I knew its proper title is "Me and Julio Down By the School Yard."
From that point on, I began compiling a list of songs with some form of "law" in the title. Here are the fifteen I managed to brainstorm.
1. More Than a Law by Aztec Camera
Love offered a slight change of sound for the British New Wave band, whose front man Roddy Frame incorporated more electronics and backing vocalists over his Gretsch acoustic guitar.
2. Sexx Laws by Beck
After charting with "Loser" on an earlier disc, the avant-garde singer-songwriter created an even better sound on this track and its mates from the O-D-Lay album.
3. I Fought the Law by Sonny Curtis
Even though he admits right away that the law won, this classic somehow leaves everyone who hears it in a happier mood.
4. Outlaw Man by the Eagles
For the most part Desperado was not well-received, but it does have gems like this one, the title track, and "Tequila Sunrise."
5. Mother In Law by Ernie K. Doe
Whether it brought in a lot of dough for its singer, the song did climb all the way to number three in 1961.
6. Lawyers in Love by Jackson Browne
The colleague of the Eagles did not quit after Running On Empty, as you can tell by listening to this hit and "Boulevard."
7. Lawyers, Guns and Money by Warren Zevon
Gamblers and waitresses are among the dangers that entangle the singer on this delight from Excitable Boy, by far Zevon's most successful record.
8. One Million Lawyers by Tom Paxton
If what the folkie predicted in 1982, which was we would have 1,000,000 attorneys in ten years, that number has probably grown twice as large by now.
9. The Law by Leonard Cohen
This hymn-like morsel of musical poetry can be found on Various Positions, a compilation album released posthumously.
10. The Law of the Land by the Temptations
Although not as enduring as "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" or "Ball of Confusion", this minor hit ranks among the top ten in the Motown band's catalogue.
11. Outlaw Blues by Bob Dylan
Subterranean Homesick, Tom Thumb, Memphis, and Talking New York could all be listed, along with this track, among the various Dylan titles featuring Blues.
12. Outlaws by Greenday
Billie Jo Armstrong and his two band mates included this track on their twelfth album, Revolution Radio.
13. Outlaw Torn by Metallica
The band, whose name best describes its rock genre, recorded this hit for the Load album.
14. The Long Arm of the Law by Kenny Rogers
Country legend Rogers opens this hit in the heart of bluegrass country, a town called Cumberland, Kentucky.
15. Against the Law by Billy Bragg and Wilco
Mermaid Boulevard was the collaboration of the two unlikely artists, who joined forces to put music to the unrecorded lyrics of Woody Guthrie.
