[Intro] x8 [Verse] 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 [Chorus] There’s a riot goin’ on There’s a riot goin’ on There’s a riot goin’ on Up in cell block number nine [Verse] 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" [Chorus] There’s a riot goin’ on There’s a riot goin’ on There’s a riot goin’ on Up in cell block number nine [Verse] 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" [Chorus] There’s a riot goin’ on There’s a riot goin’ on There’s a riot goin’ on Up in cell block number nine [Verse] The ninety-second hour The tear gas got our men            Crawled in our cells but every now and then... [Outro] There’s a riot goin’ on There’s a riot goin’ on There’s a riot goin’ on Up in cell block number nine