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...
