Riot In Cell Block Number Nine

On July the 2nd, 1953

I was serving time for armed robbery

Four o'clock in 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 N°9

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 N°9

The warden said : 'Come out with your hands up in the air'

'If you don't stop this 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 N°9

The ninety-second hour, the tear gas got our men

Crawled 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 N°9