Chicago is the Broadway musical set around 1920s murder trials that features “Cell Block Tango.”
The musical has a book by Bob Fosse and Fred Ebb, music by John Kander, and lyrics by Ebb. It follows Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly, two women accused of murder who use publicity, legal strategy, and performance to pursue fame and freedom in Chicago.
“Cell Block Tango” is performed by women imprisoned for killing the people who betrayed or mistreated them. The number’s repeated “he had it coming” refrain gives the scene its distinctive structure. Other major songs include “All That Jazz,” “Razzle Dazzle,” and “Mr. Cellophane.”
Chicago opened on Broadway in 1975 and was revived in 1996. The revival became the longest-running revival in Broadway history and won six Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical. The 2002 film adaptation starred Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Richard Gere.