Riot In Cell Block #9

(Album: Live From Deep In The Heart Of Texas - 1974)

On July 27, 1953
I was serving time for armed robbery
'Bout four in the morning
I was sleeping in my cell
I heard a whistle blow
I heard somebody yell

There's a riot going on
There's a riot going on
There's a riot going on
Up in cell block number nine

The trouble started in cell block number four
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 going on
There's a riot going on
There's a riot going 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
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 going on
There's a riot going on
There's a riot going 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 going on
There's a riot going on
There's a riot going on
Up in cell block number nine