It was Decemberthe sixth 1983
I was doin` time for armed robbery
At four in the morning, I was sitting in my cell
I heard a whistle blow, and 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
Our 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
And Scarface Jones said It`s too late to quit
Pass the dynamite, don`t you give me any shit
There`s a riot going on
There`s a riot going on
There`s a riot going on
Up in cell block number nine
On the 47th hour the nerve gas got our men
We`re all back 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 cellblock number nine
Up in cellblock number nine
Up in cellblock number nine