Story Behind The Song

A Correction Officer on Rikers Island promotes non-violence in dealing with inmates and fellow officesr alike

Lyrics

C.O. Cool

Gonna tell you a story that's not been told
'bout a man who's worth his weight in gold
The man in question is not for sale
'Cause he believes in justice
working in the jail

He knows all about the prison scene
the bodies there, they're really mean
He walks on the dorm past the brothers rappin
then says hello to the dep and the captain

He's the man you go to if you're in a fix
'Specially if there's trouble in C-76
Inmates like him, he's the man they dig
'Specially when he's cool, down at the Brig

Back on Riker's, he holds the key
Keeping cool in the North Facility
In the woman's house they dream of crack
but they stop those dreams
when Cool gets back

Chorus: The warden knows that he's no fool
That's what they call him, C.O. Cool

Now here's a story about C.O. Cool
Everything he learned, didn't learn in school
He told all the brothers 'bout how to keep quiet
And that's how he prevented a full-scale riot

C.O. Cool one day he got wary
Inmate came back from the Commissary
Inmate wasn't cool, shouted "stole my cash"
Cool just said, "Man don't get rash"

But another officer his name was Tough
In the day room he was acting kinda of rough
Officer you know, was way off course
started to use excessive force

Officer shouted, "you don't rate...
we're gonna send your ass directly upstate
Or maybe well send you south of the border
if you start refusing, my direct order...

Chorus: The warden knows that he's no fool
That's what they call him, C.O.Cool

Inmate didn't like this C.O. Tough
so he started acting really gruff
his actions weren't at all in vogue
Officer said, "Call for the probe"

Probe and Response Team
came right away
Officer said, "we'll put you away"
But Cool came in and said,
"Quit this cheatin...
we don't want anymore of these beatings."

C.O. Cool may I have your attention
Put this body 'way in preventive detention
And C.O. Tough, start moving your feet
We'll transfer you to headquarters
on Centre Street

So Cool stopped a riot once again
Commissioner said, we give you a ten
Commissioner issued, a new important rule
Everybody listen to C.O. Cool

Chorus: The warden knows that he's no fool
That's what they call him, C.O.Cool

Coda: C.O. Cool, nobody's fool, etc.