Cell Block Tango
Pop
May 1, 2012
323
Cell Block Tango Music Video

Cell Block Tango Lyrics

And now, the six married murderesses of the Cook County Jail
In their rendition of the cell block tango
Pop! Six! Squish! Uh uh! Cicero! Lipschitz!
Pop! Six! Squish! Uh uh! Cicero! Lipschitz!
Pop! Six! Squish! Uh uh! Cicero! Lipschitz!
Pop! Six! Squish! Uh uh! Cicero! Lipschitz!

He had it coming
He had it coming
He only had himself to blame
If you'd a been there, if you'd a seen it
I betcha you would've done the same
Pop! Six! Squish! Uh uh! Cicero! Lipschitz!
Pop! Six! Squish! Uh uh! Cicero! Lipschitz!

You how people have these little habits that getcha down
Like, Bernie, Bernie he liked to chew gum
No, not chew, pop!
So I came home this one day and I'm really irritated
And I'm looking for a little sympathy
And there's Bernie, lying on the couch, drinking a beer and chewing
No, not chewing, popping!
So I said to him, I said you pop that gum one more time, and he did
So I took the shotgun off the wall and I fired two warnings shots
Into his head

He had it coming
He had it coming
He only had himself to blame
If you'd a been there, if you'd a heard it
I betcha you would've done the same

I meet Ezechiel Young from Salt Lake City about two years
And he told me he was single and we hit it off right away
So we started living together
He'd go to work, he'd come home, I'd fix him a drink, and we'd have dinner
And then I found out single, he told me, single my butt
Not only was he married, oh no, he had six wives
One of those Mormans, you know
So that night when he came home from work, I fixed him his as drink, as usual
You know, some guys just can't hold their arsenic

He had it coming (Pop! Six! Squish! Uh uh! Cicero! Lipschitz!)
He had it coming (Pop! Six! Squish! Uh uh! Cicero! Lipschitz!)
He took a flower in its prime (Pop! Six! Squish! Uh uh! Cicero! Lipschitz!)
And then he used it (pop!) and he abused it (six!)
It was a murder, but not a crime (squish, uh uh, Cicero, lipschitz!)

Now I'm standing in the kitchen, carving up the chicken for dinner, minding my own business
In storms my husband Wilbert in a jealous rage
You've been doing the milkman he says, he was crazy and he kept on screaming
You've been doing the milkman
And then he ran into my knife, he ran into my knife ten times

The dirty bum, bum, bum, bum, bum
The dirty bum, bum, bum, bum, bum
They had it coming (they had it coming)
They had it coming (they had it coming)
They had it coming (they had it coming) all along (all along)
'Cause if they used us ('cause if they used us) and they abused us (and they abused us)
How could you tell us that we were wrong
Could you tell us that we were wrong

Writer(s): Fred Ebb, John Kander
Copyright(s): Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What is the main theme of 'Cell Block Tango' performed by the Glee Cast?

    The main theme of 'Cell Block Tango' is the justification of murder by the six women incarcerated for killing their significant others. Each character shares her side of the story, asserting that their victims 'had it coming' due to various provocations and betrayals.

  2. Who originally performed 'Cell Block Tango' in the 1975 musical Chicago?

    The song 'Cell Block Tango' was originally performed by Chita Rivera, Candy Brown, Cheryl Clark, Graciela Daniele, Michon Peacock, and Pamela Sousa in the 1975 Broadway musical Chicago. The number features the women of Cook County Jail's women's annex, each accused of murdering their partners.

  3. What unique performance did the 'Cell Block Tango' have in the Glee series?

    In the Glee episode 'Choke,' 'Cell Block Tango' was covered by main characters Santana, Brittany, Mercedes, Sugar, and Tina. They perform the song with strong choreography, emphasizing the theatrical storytelling of each character's alleged crime within the context of a high school performance.

  4. What is the recurring line or chant in 'Cell Block Tango'?

    The recurring line or chant in 'Cell Block Tango' is 'Pop! Six! Squish! Uh uh! Cicero! Lipschitz!' These words punctuate the stories of each murder suspect, representing the key actions or elements of their alleged crimes, and are repeated multiple times throughout the song.

  5. What other media have featured 'Cell Block Tango' performances or parodies?

    Apart from its original performance in Chicago, 'Cell Block Tango' has been featured in the 2002 film adaptation and various TV series. Notable parodies include Todrick Hall's 'Spell Block Tango,' featuring Disney villains, and a rendition titled 'Meat Pie Tango' in the Gotham episode 'Let Them Eat Pie.'

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