Riot in Cell Block 89 - Wanda Jackson

On July the second, 1953

I was serving time in Tahatchopee

Four o’clock in the morning

I was sleepin' in my cell

I heard a whistle blow

And 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 all started up in cell block #4

It spread like fire across the prison floor

Warden came in with a big tommy gun

Bang-bang-bang, tryin' to stop our fun

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

Two-gun Mathilda said

It’s too late to quit

Pass the dynamite Molly

'Cause man, this fuse is lit

They called the state militia

To help them win the fight

Drove up to the prison

In the middle of the night

Each and every trooper

He looked so tall and fine

All the chicks went crazy

Up in cell block number nine