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 pa** 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.