It was December the 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