--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hell no / I ain't going to go / Clean out…" description: "\"Hell no / I ain't going to go / Clean out my cell / And take my tail / To jail / Without bail / Because it's better there eating / Watching television ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/045/muhammad-ali-386_bail_hell-no-i-ain-t-going-to-go-clean-out-my_352488.jpg" --- # Hell no / I ain't going to go / Clean out my cell / And… ![“Hell no / I ain't going to go / Clean out my cell / And take my tail / To jail / Without bail / Because it's better there eating / Watching television fed / Than in Vietnam with your white folks dead.” quote by Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/045/muhammad-ali-386_bail_hell-no-i-ain-t-going-to-go-clean-out-my_352488.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/045/muhammad-ali-386_bail_hell-no-i-ain-t-going-to-go-clean-out-my_352488.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/045/muhammad-ali-386_bail_hell-no-i-ain-t-going-to-go-clean-out-my_352488.jpg) > “Hell no / I ain't going to go / Clean out my cell / And take my tail / To jail / Without bail / Because it's better there eating / Watching television fed / Than in Vietnam with your white folks dead.” [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He refuses to be imprisoned without bail, preferring the safety of home over the horrors of war. **In simple terms:** Choosing safety over forced combat. Key Takeaway Prioritize personal safety over unjust demands. Themes war justice personal choice Mood defiant reflective Type political protest When to use this quote - military draft - political protest - family safety - public speaking Key Concepts pacifism civil disobedience Questions to Reflect On - Is it always right to avoid dangerous duties? - How does personal safety weigh against collective responsibility? A Different Perspective May ignore systemic issues by avoiding conflict. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eating/) [Feds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feds/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Jail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jail/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Vietnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vietnam/) [Watching television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watching-television/) ## Related quotes > [We ain't there yet but we are going places](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trunxbeats/we-ain-t-there-yet-but-we-are-going-places/) Trunxbeats > [You ain't going to do shit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/you-ain-t-going-to-do-shit/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) > [You already know we ain't going out wid out a bang!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-already-know-we-ain-t-going-out-wid-out-a-bang/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I ain't going at nobody else pace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-d/i-ain-t-going-at-nobody-else-pace/) J.I.D > [Oh I ain't going anywhere. You can't get rid of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bianca-del-rio/oh-i-ain-t-going-anywhere-you-can-t-get-rid-of-me/) [Bianca Del Rio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bianca-del-rio/) > [If you want to get on in life get off your arse because it ain't going to come to you. And if it does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-winstone/if-you-want-to-get-on-in-life-get-off-your-arse-because-it-ain-t/) [Ray Winstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-winstone/) > [There ain't nobody going to run me out of nowhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adebayo-akinfenwa/there-ain-t-nobody-going-to-run-me-out-of-nowhere/) [Adebayo Akinfenwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adebayo-akinfenwa/) > [When you leave New York you ain't going anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-breslin/when-you-leave-new-york-you-ain-t-going-anywhere/) [Jimmy Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-breslin/) > [Ain't nothing going to hold me back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-sanu/ain-t-nothing-going-to-hold-me-back/) [Mohamed Sanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-sanu/) > [I ain't going to let nobody steal my dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-brashear/i-ain-t-going-to-let-nobody-steal-my-dream/) Carl Brashear > [I ain't going to bump no more with no big fat woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-tex/i-ain-t-going-to-bump-no-more-with-no-big-fat-woman/) [Joe Tex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-tex/) > [“it ain't where you're from, its where you're going to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/it-ain-t-where-you-re-from-its-where-you-re-going-to/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [The New Day is all about the group, and that's the way it's gonna be... We ain't going nowhere but to the top. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-kingston/the-new-day-is-all-about-the-group-and-that-s-the-way-it-s-gonna-be/) [Kofi Kingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-kingston/) > [It's all about the fans at the end of the day, because when they don't want you here, you ain't going to be here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jadakiss/it-s-all-about-the-fans-at-the-end-of-the-day-because-when-they-don-t/) [Jadakiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jadakiss/) > [You're the smile on my face and I ain't going nowhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-bieber/you-re-the-smile-on-my-face-and-i-ain-t-going-nowhere/) [Justin Bieber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-bieber/) ## More by Muhammad Ali > [There are more pleasant things to do than beat up people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-are-more-pleasant-things-to-do-than-beat-up-people/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I've never let anyone talk me into not believing in myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-ve-never-let-anyone-talk-me-into-not-believing-in-myself/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I'm too fast. I'm too smart. I'm too pretty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-m-too-fast-i-m-too-smart-i-m-too-pretty/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I don't count my sit-ups. I only start counting when it starts hurting. That is when I start counting, because then it really counts.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-don-t-count-my-sit-ups-i-only-start-counting-when-it-starts-hurting/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I said a lot of things in the heat of the moment that I shouldn't have said. Called him names I shouldn't have called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-said-a-lot-of-things-in-the-heat-of-the-moment-that-i-shouldn-t/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [Many people are quick to say that we are not recognized by Muslims in the East . And I start with the Honorable Elijah…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/many-people-are-quick-to-say-that-we-are-not-recognized-by-muslims-in/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I have been so great in boxing they had to create an image like Rocky, a white image on the screen, to counteract my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-have-been-so-great-in-boxing-they-had-to-create-an-image-like-rocky/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [Money and riches don't mean nothing to me. I don't care nothing about being no rich individual. I'm not living for glory or for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/money-and-riches-don-t-mean-nothing-to-me-i-don-t-care-nothing-about/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [Allah is the Greatest. I'm just the greatest boxer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/allah-is-the-greatest-i-m-just-the-greatest-boxer/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [My wealth is in my knowledge of self, love, and spirituality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/my-wealth-is-in-my-knowledge-of-self-love-and-spirituality/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [We followed the Honorable Elijah Mohammed, who is the boss. And we don't waste a lot of time arguin' about a dead black man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/we-followed-the-honorable-elijah-mohammed-who-is-the-boss-and-we-don/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I'm gonna have to be killed before I lose, and I ain't going to die easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-m-gonna-have-to-be-killed-before-i-lose-and-i-ain-t-going-to-die/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [If some black man go out and start something, a riot or something or, I'm not going to jump in it and get killed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/if-some-black-man-go-out-and-start-something-a-riot-or-something-or-i/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [If you want to be equal with me, you can get your own Rolls-Royce, your own house and your own million dollars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/if-you-want-to-be-equal-with-me-you-can-get-your-own-rolls-royce-your/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) [Explore all 609 Muhammad Ali quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) ## More Bail quotes > [when times are tough, the weak bail and the tough get creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/when-times-are-tough-the-weak-bail-and-the-tough-get-creative/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [When assumptions were made that I was going to bail out there was a little part of my brain that thought 'I am going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-stevens/when-assumptions-were-made-that-i-was-going-to-bail-out-there-was-a/) [Craig Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-stevens/) > [The person who reads can bail, but the person who doesn't fails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-paulsen/the-person-who-reads-can-bail-but-the-person-who-doesn-t-fails/) [Gary Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-paulsen/) > [Don’t let your thoughts run away with you, don’t start planning to bail out because you’re worried about the future and how much you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-luttrell/don-t-let-your-thoughts-run-away-with-you-don-t-start-planning-to/) [Marcus Luttrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-luttrell/) > [Shortly before my arrest, my girlfriend at the time, who's now my wife of ten years, told me she was quitting drugs and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-hosoi/shortly-before-my-arrest-my-girlfriend-at-the-time-who-s-now-my-wife/) [Christian Hosoi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-hosoi/) > [“Pick a leader who will keep jobs in your country by offering companies incentives to hire only within their borders, not one who allows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/pick-a-leader-who-will-keep-jobs-in-your-country-by-offering/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [The United States can no longer rely upon foreign nations such as China to bail us out of our economic irresponsibility. We must live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/the-united-states-can-no-longer-rely-upon-foreign-nations-such-as/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [You’re going to share a Moon Pie? Now? You know you can’t get any more of those until you go back to the Sates,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/you-re-going-to-share-a-moon-pie-now-you-know-you-can-t-get-any-more/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [When they say all expenses paid, does that include bail?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/when-they-say-all-expenses-paid-does-that-include-bail/) [Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/) > [QE and other aspects of Fed policy increased inequality pretty significantly. This is reinforced if you take into account all the other non-standard measures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-epstein/qe-and-other-aspects-of-fed-policy-increased-inequality-pretty/) [Gerald Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-epstein/) > [“It's funny isn't it? People claim to know what love is -- yet the minute they're given the opportunity to prove it -- they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-van-dyken/it-s-funny-isn-t-it-people-claim-to-know-what-love-is-yet-the-minute/) [Rachel Van Dyken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-van-dyken/) > [I could as easily bail out the Potomac River with a teaspoon as attend to all the details of the army.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-as-easily-bail-out-the-potomac-river-with-a-teaspoon-as/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [There are no wealthy people on Rikers Island because if you are wealthy, you go free because you make bail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/there-are-no-wealthy-people-on-rikers-island-because-if-you-are/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [This is the secret I kept from you, Bails, from myself too: I think I liked that Mom was gone, that she could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jandy-nelson/this-is-the-secret-i-kept-from-you-bails-from-myself-too-i-think-i/) [Jandy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jandy-nelson/) > [What we collectively decide about how to bail out our economy, how to pull our economy out of a ditch and what rules we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/what-we-collectively-decide-about-how-to-bail-out-our-economy-how-to/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) Browse all 139 Bail quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Hell no / I ain't going to go / Clean out my cell / And take my tail / To jail / Without bail / Because it's better there eating / Watching television fed / Than in Vietnam with your white folks dead.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Muhammad Ali" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/hell-no-i-ain-t-going-to-go-clean-out-my-cell-and-take-my-tail-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bail" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/hell-no-i-ain-t-going-to-go-clean-out-my-cell-and-take-my-tail-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/045/muhammad-ali-386_bail_hell-no-i-ain-t-going-to-go-clean-out-my_352488.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/045/muhammad-ali-386_bail_hell-no-i-ain-t-going-to-go-clean-out-my_352488.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/045/muhammad-ali-386_bail_hell-no-i-ain-t-going-to-go-clean-out-my_352488.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Hell no / I ain't going to go / Clean out my cell / And take my tail / To jail / Without bail / Because it's…” — Muhammad Ali", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Muhammad Ali", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Hell no / I ain't going...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/hell-no-i-ain-t-going-to-go-clean-out-my-cell-and-take-my-tail-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/hell-no-i-ain-t-going-to-go-clean-out-my-cell-and-take-my-tail-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```