Page type: lyric reference
Artist: Dead Kennedys
Canonical path: /dead-kennedys/riot
Related lyric paths: 6
Video embedded: yes
Lyric guide
Riot
Read Riot lyrics by Dead Kennedys on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.
person
Curated by Ethan Walker
LyroVerse team
Reference snapshot
The page facts to cite before the commentary
Use this page for the lyric text, linked artist context, and any LyroVerse editor's note attached to the song. Listener comments remain user-generated and should not be treated as the primary source.
Lyrics
Riot
The lyric stays readable and compact here; the note and related paths sit nearby so you do not lose the song while looking for context.
Rioting-the unbeatable high
Adrenalin shoots your nerves to the sky
Everyone knows this town is gonna blow
And it's all gonna blow right now:.
Now you can smash all the windows that you want
All you really need are some friends and a rock
Throwing a brick never felt so damn good
Smash more glass
Scream with a laugh
And wallow with the crowds
Watch them kicking peoples' ass
But you get to the place
Where the real slavedrivers live
It's walled off by the riot squad
Aiming guns right at your head
So you turn right around
And play right into their hands
And set your own neighbourhood
Burning to the ground instead
[Chorus]
Riot-the unbeatable high
Riot-shoots your nerves to the sky
Riot-playing into their hands
Tomorrow you're homeless
Tonight it's a blast
Get your kicks in quick
They're callin' the national guard
Now could be your only chance
To torch a police car
Climb the roof, kick the siren in
And jump and yelp for joy
Quickly-dive back in the crowd
Slip away, now don't get caught
Let's loot the spiffy hi-fi store
Grab as much as you can hold
Pray your full arms don't fall off
Here comes the owner with a gun
[Chorus]
The barricades spring up from nowhere
Cops in helmets line the lines
Shotguns prod into your bellies
The trigger fingers want an excuse
Now
The raging mob has lost its nerve
There's more of us but who goes first
No one dares to cross the line
The cops know that they've won
It's all over but not quite
The pigs have just begun to fight
They club your heads, kick your teeth
Police can riot all that they please
[Chorus]
Tomorrow you're homeless
Tonight it's a blast
Quick answers
What this page can answer fast
Who performs "Riot"?
Dead Kennedys performs "Riot", and this lyric page sits inside the Dead Kennedys catalog on LyroVerse.
Are there related songs to explore after "Riot"?
Yes. The related section below points to Pull My Strings and The Man With The Dogs with a short reason for opening each page next.
Where can I find more songs by Dead Kennedys?
Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through Dead Kennedys's lyric pages.
Song Room
Open Song Room
Interpretations, questions, and corrections for this song
Interpretations, questions, memories, and correction notes live together here. The room stays noindex while the best insights are reviewed.
Listener comments
What people are saying
No listener comments on Riot yet.
A strong comment here is specific: the phrase you keep hearing, the mood you come back for, or the reason this song stays in rotation.
Sign in to post the first listener note. Reporting stays open to everyone.