About the song
Remember the days of disco balls and platform shoes? When the airwaves crackled with catchy tunes and a good story spun in a song could transport you straight to the heart of the action? Well, dust off your dancing shoes and crank up the volume, because we’re taking a trip back to 1974 with a little ditty called “The Night Chicago Died” by the British band Paper Lace.
Now, this one might not be your typical history lesson. Sure, it throws around names like Al Capone and throws you right into the heart of a supposed gangland showdown, but hold on to your fedoras – it’s not exactly what happened. This song is a prime example of artistic license taken to the extreme, a fictionalized account of a night that never truly unfolded in the Windy City.
But hey, that doesn’t mean it’s not a fun ride! “The Night Chicago Died” is all about suspense and drama. It opens with a wailing siren that sets the scene for a night unlike any other. We hear the story unfold through the eyes of a young child, their world turned upside down as they wait for news of their police officer father caught in the crossfire of a supposed epic clash between the Chicago Police and the notorious Al Capone’s mob.
Despite the historical inaccuracies (there’s no “East Side” of Chicago, folks!), the song captured the imagination of audiences worldwide. It became a number one hit in the US, a testament to the power of a good story, even if it’s a bit embellished. So, settle in, put on your dancing shoes (or at least tap your toes!), and get ready for a wild fictional tale set in a bygone era, all wrapped up in a catchy tune that’ll have you humming along long after the last note fades.
Video
Lyrics
Daddy was a cop on the east side of Chicago
Back in the USA, back in the bad old days
In the heat of a summer night
In the land of the dollar bill
When the town of Chicago died
And they talk about it still
When a man named Al Capone
Tried to make that town his own
And he called his gang to war
With the forces of the law
I heard my mama cry
I heard her pray the night Chicago died
Brother, what a night it really was
Brother, what a fight it really was
Glory be
I heard my mama cry
I heard her pray the night Chicago died
Brother, what a night the people saw
Brother, what a fight the people saw
Yes, indeed
And the sound of the battle rang
Through the streets of the old east side
‘Til the last of the hoodlum gang
Had surrendered up or died
There was shouting in the street
And the sound of running feet
And I asked someone who said
“‘Bout a hundred cops are dead!”
I heard my mama cry
I heard her pray the night Chicago died
Brother, what a night it really was
Brother, what a fight it really was
Glory be
I heard my mama cry
I heard her pray the night Chicago died
Brother, what a night the people saw
Brother, what a fight the people saw
Yes, indeed
Then there was no sound at all
But the clock up on the wall
Then the door burst open wide
And my daddy stepped inside
And he kissed my mama’s face
And he brushed her tears away
The night Chicago died
(Na-na-na, na-na-na, na-na, na-na-na)
The night Chicago died
Brother, what a night the people saw
Brother, what a fight the people saw
Yes, indeed
The night Chicago died
(Na-na-na, na-na-na, na-na, na-na-na)
The night Chicago died
Brother, what a night it really was
Brother, what a fight it really was
Glory be
The night Chicago died
(Na-na-na, na-na-na, na-na, na-na-na)
The night Chicago died
Brother what a night the people saw
Brother what a fight the people saw