Riot In Cell Block #9

On July the second, nineteen and fifty-three

I was serving time in Tahatchopee

Four o'clock in the morning I was sleepin' in my cell

I heard a whistle blow and I heard somebody yell.



"There's a riot goin' on" (There's a riot goin' on)

"There's a riot goin' on" (There's a riot goin' on)

"There's a riot goin' on

Up in cell block number nine."



The trouble all started up in cell block number four

It spread like fire across the prison floor

Warden came in with a big tommy gun

Bang bang bang, tryin' to stop our fun.



But there's a riot goin' on (There's a riot goin' on)

There's a riot goin' on (There's a riot goin' on)

There's a riot goin' on

Up in cell block number nine.



--- Instrumental ---



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

You don't stop this riot you're all gonna get the chair"

Two gun Mathilda said "It's too late to quit

Pass the dynamite, Molly 'cause, man, this fuse is lit."



And there's a riot goin' on (There's a riot goin' on)

There's a riot goin' on (There's a riot goin' on)

There's a riot goin' on

Up in cell block number nine.



They called the state militia to help them win the fight

Drove up to the prison in the middle of the night

Each and every trooper he looked so tall and fine

All the chicks went crazy up in cell block number nine.



But there's a riot goin' on (There's a riot goin' on)

There's a riot goin' on (There's a riot goin' on)

There's a riot goin' on

Up in cell block number nine...