riot in cell block no þarký sözü

(leiber/stoller)

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