Their collaboration with legendary songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller gave them a unique sound that was very humorous most of the time. Their first huge hit came with "Young Blood" and "Searchin'." They also had success with hits such as "Yakety Yak," "Charlie Brown," and "Little Egypt."
Gardner was still touring with The Coasters as late as 2005, although he is the only surviving original member. Gardner is now semi-retired and has handed the reins over to his son Carl Jr.
In 1987, they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, thus becoming the first group to be inducted (the other inductees at the time were solo acts). In 2000, they were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall Of Fame. In 2004, "Young Blood" was #414 on Rolling Stone's Top 500 Songs Of All Time. "Young Blood" and "Yakety Yak" were part of The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame's 500 Songs That Shaped Rock & Roll. The band's song "Down In Mexico" appears on the new film, Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof.
Riot in Cell Block #9
The Coasters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was servin' time for armed robbery
At four o'clock in the mornin', I was sleepin' in my cell
I heard the whistle blow then I heard somebody yell
(There's a riot goin' on)
(There's a riot goin' on)
(There's a riot goin' on)
The trouble started down in cellblock number four
And spread like fire across the prison floor
I said, "okay boys, get ready to run
Here come the warden with a tommy gun"
(There's a riot goin' on)
(There's a riot goin' on)
(There's a riot goin' on)
Up in cellblock number nine
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
Pass the dynamite 'cause the fuse is lit"
(There's a riot goin' on)
(There's a riot goin' on)
(There's a riot goin' on)
Up in cellblock number nine
In the forty-seventh hour the tear gas got our men
We are all back in our cells but every now and then
(There's a riot goin' on)
(There's a riot goin' on)
(There's a riot goin' on)
Up in cellblock number nine
"Riot in Cell Block 9" by The Coasters is a song that vividly describes a chaotic prison revolt. It speaks of an incarcerated individual on July second, 1953 who was in jail for armed robbery. It was a morning where the prisoner was asleep and heard the sound of a whistle being blown, was then awakened by an alarming scream that something unusual was happening in cell block number nine. The commotion arose in cell block number four and spread rapidly across the whole prison while the police and authorities tried to calm the inmates down.
The warden threatened to use extreme force on the prisoners if they did not stop rioting. Scarface Jones, the leader of the rebellion, made it clear that it was too late to go back and ordered that explosives be passed around among the inmates. As time went by, the tear gas took over and the prisoners all went back into their cells, but one could still hear the echoes of the chaos that once took place, with a warning of a possible recurrence.
Line by Line Meaning
On July the second, 1953
The song is about a particular event that occurred on July 2, 1953.
I was servin' time for armed robbery
The singer is a convict who was in prison for committing armed robbery.
At four o'clock in the mornin', I was sleepin' in my cell
At the time the riot broke out, the singer was sleeping in their cell.
I heard the whistle blow then I heard somebody yell
The artist woke up to the sound of a whistle and someone yelling.
(There's a riot goin' on)
(There's a riot goin' on)
(There's a riot goin' on)
Up in cellblock number nine
The commotion the artist is hearing is a riot occurring in cellblock number nine.
The trouble started down in cellblock number four
The riot began in cellblock number four.
And spread like fire across the prison floor
The riot quickly spread throughout the prison.
I said, "okay boys, get ready to run
Here come the warden with a tommy gun"
The artist tells their fellow inmates to prepare to run because the warden is coming with a machine gun.
(There's a riot goin' on)
(There's a riot goin' on)
(There's a riot goin' on)
Up in cellblock number nine
The repeated line emphasizes that the riot is still ongoing in cellblock number nine.
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"
The warden demands that the inmates surrender, warning that they will all face capital punishment if the riot isn't stopped.
Scarface Jones said, "it's too late to quit
Pass the dynamite 'cause the fuse is lit"
One of the inmates, Scarface Jones, declares that it's too late to stop and urges someone to pass him the dynamite.
(There's a riot goin' on)
(There's a riot goin' on)
(There's a riot goin' on)
Up in cellblock number nine
The repeated line continues to emphasize that the riot is still ongoing in cellblock number nine.
In the forty-seventh hour the tear gas got our men
We are all back in our cells but every now and then
After 47 hours, the guards used tear gas to end the riot and everyone was forced back into their cells. However, the singer implies that there are still tensions or potential for more violence.
(There's a riot goin' on)
(There's a riot goin' on)
(There's a riot goin' on)
Up in cellblock number nine
The repeated line concludes the song with the reminder that the riot occurred in cellblock number nine.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind