cell block five, how I hate Bromide

with your coffee in the morning makes you so sterile

the corner gang never made a man of me boy



you know the walls are tall and the inmates scheme

there's no one here thats more than seventeen

bet your life there's a riot tonight in the messhall, listen



a letter from your home town makes you sad

you read it when the wardens had a second laugh

he said sentimental rubbish ain't got no place in here boy



see the years roll on by

such a senseless waste of time

what a way to reform

call out your number, who's a nonconformer

not me baby, oh yeah



Shakey Brown didn't hang around

when a Molotow didn't do its stuff

you went back in there and said it with a sawed-off shotgun



you know Poker Sam couldn't lose a hand

if he did you were hit by a downtown tram

or crushed in the path of a moving elevator, elevator



see the years roll on by

such a senseless waste of time

what a way to reform

call out your number, who's a nonconformer

not me baby, oh yeah



when I get out, I'll get straight

if this old world gives me half a break

but, if you see me in the corner with a chip on my shoulder

don't blame me, don't blame me baby, no, no



got to make a break for the county line