Riot In Cell Block No. 9

On July the second, 1953

I was serving time for armed robbery

At 4 O'clock in the morning

I was sleepin' in my cell

I heard a whistle blow

Then I heard somebody yell

There's a riot goin' on

There's a riot goin' on

There's a riot goin' on

Up in cell block no. 9

The trouble all started in cell block no. 4

It spread like fire

Across the prison floor

I said, okay, boys

Getting ready to run

Here come a warden

With a tommy gun

There's a riot goin' on

There's a riot goin' on

There's a riot goin' on

Up in cell block no. 9

The warden said, come out with your hands up in the air

If you don't stop this riot

You all gonna get the chair

Scar-faced Jones said it's too late to quit

Pass the dynamite

'Cause the fuse is lit

There's a riot goin' on

There's a riot goin' on

There's a riot goin' on

Up in cell block no. 9

In the 47th hour, the tear gas got our men

We're all back in our cells, but every now and then

There's a riot goin' on

There's a riot goin' on

There's a riot goin' on

Up in cell block no. 9