The Night Chicago Died
Paper Lace Lyrics

Daddy was a cop on the east side of Chicago
The singer's father was a police officer in the eastern part of Chicago.

Back in the USA, back in the bad old days
The setting of the story is the US during a period of social unrest and violence.

In the heat of a summer night
The events took place on a hot summer evening.

In the land of the dollar bill
The location of the events is a place where money and capitalism are significant factors in day-to-day life.

When the town of Chicago died
Chicago suffered an intense and tragic event.

And they talk about it still
The event was significant enough to be remembered and discussed even after a long time has passed.

When a man named Al Capone
A notorious gangster named Al Capone was involved in the event.

Tried to make that town his own
Al Capone attempted to gain complete control of Chicago through his criminal activities.

And he called his gang to war
Al Capone rallied his gang members to fight against the law enforcement and other opposing forces.

With the forces of the law
Al Capone and his gang members were in opposition to the police officers and other law enforcement agents.

I heard my mama cry
The singer's mother expressed strong emotions in response to the tragic event.

I heard her pray the night Chicago died
The artist's mother prayed during this difficult time in the city's history.

Brother, what a night it really was
A vivid description of how intense and memorable the event was.

Brother, what a fight it really was
The conflict was intense and likely caused many casualties.

Glory be
An expression of awe or reverence in response to this tragic event.

Brother, what a night the people saw
A description of how people were impacted and affected by the events of that evening.

Brother, what a fight the people saw
The conflict was likely witnessed by many people and had a significant impact on the community.

Yes, indeed
An expression of agreement or confirmation that the event was intense and significant.

And the sound of the battle rang
The sounds of the fight were loud and intense.

Through the streets of the old east side
The fighting took place in the eastern area of Chicago.

Til the last of the hoodlum gang
The fight persisted until the gang members were all defeated or surrendered.

Had surrendered up or died
The gang members either surrendered or were killed during the violent conflict.

There was shouting in the street
The sounds of people yelling and screaming were heard in the streets during the fight.

And the sound of running feet
The sound of people running and fleeing the scene could be heard.

And I asked someone who said
The singer inquired about what was happening to someone nearby.

'Bout a hundred cops are dead!
The person nearby reported that many police officers lost their lives during the fighting.

Then there was no sound at all
After the intense conflict, the streets went silent.

But the clock up on the wall
The only sound that remained was the ticking of the clock on the wall.

Then the door burst open wide
Suddenly, the door to the artist's house swung open widely.

And my daddy stepped inside
The singer's father, who was a police officer, returned home safely.

And he kissed my mama's face
The father embraced the singer's mother in relief and joy.

And he brushed her tears away
The father comforted the mother and wiped away her tears.

The night Chicago died
A tragic event occurred in Chicago that night.

(Na-na-na, na-na-na, na-na, na-na-na)
A chorus refrain that emphasizes the significance of the events that took place.