On July second, 1953, I was serving time for armed robbery 'Bout four in the morning I was sleepin' in my cell I heard a whistle blow 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 number nine
The trouble started in cell block no. 4 It spread like fire across the prison floor I said Come on boys, get ready to run - Here comes the 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 number nine
The warden said Come out with your hands up in the air If you don't stop this riot (or: You gonna start a riot ???) You're all gonna get the chair Scarface Jones said, It's too late to quit And 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 number nine
The ninety-second hour The tear gas got our men Crawled 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 number nine
