The Night Chicago Died
Encyclopedia
"The Night Chicago Died" is a song by the British
group Paper Lace
, written by Peter Callander
and Mitch Murray
. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100
chart for one week in 1974, reached number 3 in the UK charts, and number 2 in Canada. It is about a fictional shoot-out in Chicago
between gangster
s tied to Al Capone
and the Chicago Police. The narrator retells his mother's anguish while awaiting news of the fate of her husband, a Chicago policeman.
", a #1 hit in the U.K. but virtually unheard in the U.S. where Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods'
cover reached #1. Callander and Murray wrote both songs.
The U.S. single received a Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America
, signifying sales of at least one million copies. Though the song's story is set in America, Paper Lace were unable to perform the song live in the U.S. at the height of its popularity because of contractual issues.
syndicate. In fact, police often worked with the gangsters, soliciting and accepting bribes, and sometimes even standing guard during liquor deliveries. Capone's criminal career ended quietly in 1931, when he was convicted of income-tax evasion and weapons possession.
The song's events supposedly take place "on the East Side of Chicago." Chicago has three commonly referred-to regions; the North Side, the West Side, and the South Side. The East Side
is not one of these "sides" of town, but in reality is a neighborhood located on the South Side, just several miles away from where Al Capone lived (at 7244 South Prairie Avenue).
While the song is entirely fictional, probably the most notable contemporary real-life event in Chicago resembling a massive shoot-out involving Capone's forces as depicted by the lyrics would be the infamous St. Valentine's Day Massacre of 1929, an encounter between Capone's men and a rival Chicago gang rather than the police, and it took place on the city's North Side in February instead of "in the heat of a summer night."
The songwriters said in interviews—most notably on Beat Club shortly after the song's smash success—that they had never been to Chicago before that time, and that their knowledge of the city and that period of its history had been based on gangster films.
Paper Lace did send the song to Mayor Richard Daley
, who was not impressed with the song and greatly disliked it.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
group Paper Lace
Paper Lace
Paper Lace are a Nottingham based pop group, formed in 1969. They are known to Americans as a one-hit wonder; however, in the UK they were a "classic two and a half hit wonder".-History:...
, written by Peter Callander
Peter Callander
Peter Callander is a British songwriter and record producer.-Career:Active from the 1960s to the present day, Callander has written or co-written songs that have been performed by recording artists such as Cilla Black, Tom Jones, Cliff Richard, Shirley Bassey, and The Tremeloes, among many...
and Mitch Murray
Mitch Murray
Mitch Murray , is an English songwriter, record producer and author.-Musical career:...
. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart for one week in 1974, reached number 3 in the UK charts, and number 2 in Canada. It is about a fictional shoot-out in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
between gangster
Gangster
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Some gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from mob and the suffix -ster....
s tied to Al Capone
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
and the Chicago Police. The narrator retells his mother's anguish while awaiting news of the fate of her husband, a Chicago policeman.
History
"The Night Chicago Died" was Paper Lace's follow-up single to "Billy Don't Be a HeroBilly Don't Be a Hero
"Billy Don't Be A Hero" is a 1974 anti-war pop song by Paper Lace and was also recorded by Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods. It was written by Mitch Murray and Peter Callander....
", a #1 hit in the U.K. but virtually unheard in the U.S. where Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods'
Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods
Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods are an American pop music group, known mainly for their 1970s hit singles, "Billy Don't Be A Hero" and "Who Do You Think You Are".-History:The band was formed in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1965 by their leader Bo Donaldson...
cover reached #1. Callander and Murray wrote both songs.
The U.S. single received a Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
, signifying sales of at least one million copies. Though the song's story is set in America, Paper Lace were unable to perform the song live in the U.S. at the height of its popularity because of contractual issues.
Accuracy
"The Night Chicago Died" is a work of fiction. Although it references the notorious Chicago mobster Al Capone and his gang by name, no such massive police shootout took place during Capone's reign as the head of the city's organized crimeOrganized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
syndicate. In fact, police often worked with the gangsters, soliciting and accepting bribes, and sometimes even standing guard during liquor deliveries. Capone's criminal career ended quietly in 1931, when he was convicted of income-tax evasion and weapons possession.
The song's events supposedly take place "on the East Side of Chicago." Chicago has three commonly referred-to regions; the North Side, the West Side, and the South Side. The East Side
East Side, Chicago
East Side is one of the 77 official community areas of Chicago, Illinois. It is located on the far south side of the city, between the Calumet River and the Illinois-Indiana state line, approximately south of Downtown Chicago...
is not one of these "sides" of town, but in reality is a neighborhood located on the South Side, just several miles away from where Al Capone lived (at 7244 South Prairie Avenue).
While the song is entirely fictional, probably the most notable contemporary real-life event in Chicago resembling a massive shoot-out involving Capone's forces as depicted by the lyrics would be the infamous St. Valentine's Day Massacre of 1929, an encounter between Capone's men and a rival Chicago gang rather than the police, and it took place on the city's North Side in February instead of "in the heat of a summer night."
The songwriters said in interviews—most notably on Beat Club shortly after the song's smash success—that they had never been to Chicago before that time, and that their knowledge of the city and that period of its history had been based on gangster films.
Paper Lace did send the song to Mayor Richard Daley
Richard Daley
Richard Daley may refer to:*Richard J. Daley , Mayor of Chicago , father of Richard M. Daley*Richard M. Daley , Mayor of Chicago , son of Richard J. Daley...
, who was not impressed with the song and greatly disliked it.