Rubber Bullets
The Vindictives Lyrics

I went to a party at the local county jail
I attended a gathering at my nearby state prison.

All the cons were dancing and the band began to wail
All the convicts were dancing to the music from the band and enjoying the festivity.

But the guys were indiscreet
However, some males were not careful or secretive enough in their behavior.

They were brawling in the street
They got involved in a fight out in the open.

Well the band were playing
Meanwhile, the band was still performing.

And the booze began to flow
People started drinking alcoholic beverages.

But the sound came over on the police car radio
However, the police heard the music being played through their radio while patrolling.

Down at Precinct 49
At the police station in district number 49.

Having a tear-gas of a time
They are going through a tough time and using tear gas to control the situation.

Sergeant Baker got a call from the governor of the county jail
A message from the top official of the prison was transmitted to Sergeant Baker.

Load up, load up, load up with rubber bullets
Prepare and equip ourselves with non-lethal rubber bullets.

I love to hear those convicts squeal
I derive pleasure from hearing the screams of prisoners.

It's a shame these slugs ain't real
It's regrettable that we cannot use actual bullets.

But we can't have dancin' at the local county jail
However, it's not acceptable to have a dance party at the state penitentiary.

Sergeant Baker and his men made a bee-line for the jail
Sergeant Baker and his troops immediately headed towards the correctional facility.

And for miles around
The sound was audible from a great distance.

You could hear the sirens wail
The sirens of the vehicles were echoing in the area.

There's a rumor goin' round death row
There's a hearsay spreading around the section where prisoners are sentenced to death.

That a fuse is gonna blow
A situation is becoming volatile and could turn into something explosive.

At the local hop at the local county jail
At the dance party being held inside the state penitentiary.

Whatcha gonna do about it, whatcha gonna do
What solution can you come up with to handle this situation?

Sergeant Baker started talkin'
Sergeant Baker commenced a dialogue.

With a bullhorn in his hand
Using a loudspeaker device, he addressed the group.

He was cool, he was clear
He maintained composure and was direct in his message.

He was always in command
He was always in control of the situation.

He said "Blood will flow;
He declared that violence will escalate;

Here Padre Padre you talk to your boys..."
He advised the religious leader to speak with his adherents.

"Trust in me - God will come to set you free"
He assured them of help from God if they placed their trust in him.

Well we don't understand
We are confused and cannot comprehend.

Why you called in the National Guard
Why did you seek the assistance of National Guard troops?

When Uncle Sam is the one
The government itself is the main cause of the problem.

Who belongs in the exercise yard
The government officials themselves should be held in custody.

We all got balls and brains
We are all courageous and intelligent.

But some's got balls and chains
However, some are chained and restrained.

Is it really such a crime
Is it a truly punishable offense?

For a guy to spend his time
For a person to invest his time.

At the local dance at the local county jail
By dancing at the penitentiary's dance party.

Whatcha gonna do about it, whatcha gonna do
What course of action will you take in response to this?