Paper Lace-The Night Chicago Died

[zervver]

Overall, Chicago is a ghetto.

[mpbtfragoso]

@zervver Chicagoan's will bombard your comment. And I'm the first. Aside from the weather, Chicago is a beautiful city. It's clean, orderly and it's overall architectural attraction is fabulous. It's historic,it's hip,it's conservative, it's modern and as diverse a city as you can find. In general it's people are friendly and not snobby like in other major world cities. Take a nice grand tour of Chicago, and it will change your opinion of Chicago being a ghetto.

[clvlndmike]

Just accidentally found a version of this song in Japanese. Interesting.

[OmqitzJenny]

im only 11 but my dads been buggin me to put on this song and i actually like it its pretty catchy i say thumbs up

[thornie123]

its a cheesy song but i will say, kinda catchy haha

[white1sox1]

Capone's territory was the west side..there really is no east side of Chicago until you get farther south and Lake Michigan starts to bend

[MuckyPup1969]

Could of done a better job with photos for this video. 

[garyprein]

@MuckyPup1969 I totally agree!

[thecolaratlady]

Since when is it summertime, hot in chicago in feb?

[Lilliput1212]

Great video....Those who insist on making the historical accuracy of this song and issue...ENJOY the music...it's awesome!!....You remind me of my brother, who couldn't enjoy Forrest Gump because, according to her grave marker, the day SHE died, was not a Tuesday....Wow...some people minutia themselves to death...

[mexicankidteet]

la noche que chicago se murio

[bondserv65]

Regardless of the historical accuracy (which i believe is irrelevant), this is a great song. And, Cicero is on the west side

[Dekuna]

"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 crime syndicate

[h26sc10]

@Dekuna Not so fictional...There was at least one shootout where Al Capone gang was dressed up in police uniforms. I ask someone who said I heard about 100 cops are dead - since media was not everywhere like today very possible people heard many police officers are dead.

[MuckyPup1969]

@Dekuna You're right, this is fiction. However, I read once from an article about this song and it referenced the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. That's when a couple of Al Capone's men dressed-up like cops and tommy-gunned a few of Bug's Moran's guys in a warehouse on Clark Street in Chicago's north end. There wasn't mass media like today, so rumors spread like wild-fire about the massacre and the alleged "cops". However, the song is fictional because Paper Lace put a spin on it.

[seaeagles64]

I have No Idea what this song represents.. But ScarU For life..., I'm in Tasmania and you have managed to scare me here.. ..:) I knew this song from 30 odd years ago.

[seaeagles64]

I have No Idea what this song represents.. But ScarU For life..., I'm in Tasmania and you have managed to scare me here.. ..:)

[wcmcc2006]

shut up you lot... it was the depression and the ban on alchohol

[guardianofhell]

why do some ppl on here have to over think things back then we just listened to the music it did not have to be analysed to be a good song

[blogegog]

@guardianofhell Because.

[Kaffyboy]

it's about Prohibition and Al Capone!

[ardhu7]

sad sacs, this was pure 70's shite, good, lively, great to be a kid but just pure 70's shite so dont read anything into it

[QikeA7X]

Unholy Confessions :D

[ManMultiBusa]

why so much hatred ppl this is why mankind is never gonna make it and im sure there will be lots of abuse for writing that TAKE CARE GUYS.

[jasminer9433]

I think it's catchy(: and love thee way it ends:D

[lumpy195]

Your intro was the gayest thing I've ever seen :)

[rumpkinz]

love my bro why

[porksaus]

all u yanks are head fucked

[23Lupiz]

Sounds better in spanish! 

[MrXanaduu]

I love this song so very much. It reminds me so very much of my mom who passed away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

[Marielof]

If you, christianscrosier and Gnerd were to combine the pics in your videos...YOUS would have the ultimate video of this song!!

[diberzowl]

yes it refers to the ST valentines day massacre but no cops were shot that day. Lived in the area growing up. Have heard lots of sties

[kenyongreg]

1968 democrat convention

[005Sanders]

Like If That 70's Show Brought You Here :)

[MsSnowwalker]

It never happened.. Al Capone OWNED the Chicago police, they were his men.. he didn't go to war aganst them..The whole song is a British idea about what might have transpired.. for some reason the Americans now seem to believe the song over their own history..

[SeattleLA]

Wonderful song. I remember it well, summer 1974 and played on radio, in early fall, 1974, as a high school freshman, near Oakland CA.

[DRAKORLCL]

QUE BUEN TEMA,ME RECUERDA MI ADOLECENCIA

[Rollie1964]

Have loved this song since it was released.

[Trade4Trade11]

xfg

[JoeAnthony1963]

@kingmaker84.....i agree... and at the end...that was cool...Avenged Sevenfold ?

[JoeAnthony1963]

@kingmaker84.....i agree.....that was cool

[osirisalonso]

wow



[kingmaker84]

Shit, never mind Paper Lace. What was that little snippet of music right at the very beginning?

[gm1sw]

"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 and also reached number 3 in the UK charts. It is about a fictional shoot-out in Chicago between gangsters 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

[ksm19]

Scarface thx for putting this clip up and thx to everybody for their gentile responses in relation to my queries regarding the basis of the song. As for the gutter responses/comments noted on here, hey i'm all for freedom of speech but it is a monumental shame that your opinions have been demonstrated in such a limited fashion. Have a nice day :-)

[gm1sw]

the photags in this really add good meanining to the song, I think you did an awesome job

[scottyjinpa]

this is a made up song!!!!! You fools don't you watch the History Channel!! Capone was not fighting the cops after the St. Valentines day murders!!! Sure Capone is real, but the rest is a made up story from a band from England.

[fallout8777]

funny how theres no east side

[Alikah1]

@fallout8777 There is, but it's at the bottom of Lake Michigan!

[LordoftheKaty]

There is one thing you can be certain of. People back in the Roaring Twenties and 1930's Public Enemy Era had STYLE! (Clothing that is) Can't deny the look of a fedora and double breasted suit

[MANKATO311]

It isnt really historical.If you listen it is kind of a mishmash that is a tip of the hat to Chicagos vilent criminal history

[jadegreenkaty]

great song!, but, being in south Illinois, we think it would no shame if Chicago really did die.

[DarknessSurronds]

Love the beginning intro and ending!

[TheGrumpysmom]

This is one of my all time favorites. Thank you for posting.

[born2hunt1990]

if you don't like this song you are tone deph

[FUNNYDUDEFILMS]

holy shit i heard unholy confessions and i stuck around to listen for the rest btw according dave foley this is canadas national anthem

[margorgogo]

I used to play this song as a kid over and over and just cry.

[mantaboo72]

Good job!

@ Elsiefinks....this song is very much inspired by the St. Valentines Day massacre. Listen to the words of the song. Al Copone is not a fictional character.

[Elsiefinks]

It 's not based on anything, it's a fictional song

[clintonearlwalker]

I had no idea this song had anything to do with 7 people massacred at S.M.C. Cartage.

[ac130ugunship]

Brillant, My 8 year old daughter heard the music and started dancing and strutting her stuff around the lounge

Cheers Mate

[ac130ugunship]

28 dislikes, pack of wayne kerrs

Even here at the bottom of the world this wee tune is well known

Aotearoa

[ksm19]

Isn't this about the St Valentine's Day Massacre Feb 14, 1929?

[ScarU4life]

@ksm19 inspired by.

[ksm19]

@ScarU4life Thank you for the response...was very curious :-)

[EagleVendetta]

@ScarU4life I like how you put the Avenged Sevenfold song in at the beginning and end.

[imzardoz]

@ScarU4life read a history book!

[scottyjinpa]

@ksm19 no it's a made up story!!!!!!!!!!! there was never a riot by Capone and his boys. In fact there is no East side of Chicago

[JS500Y]

@scottyjinpa well there is a small neighborhood on the border of Indiana named the East Side, but for all intents and purposes yeah theres not really

[siouxsmn]

@JS500Y I grew up in that very neighborhood you're referring to. Even though it was in the 50's & 60's the reminder of its connection to the mafia and the constant wars between them and Eliot Ness was still evident then. Although the song itself is not about an actual event between Capone and the Police, it does still embody what the police and their families had to live through everytime Capone or any of the other mafia leaders went to war with each other.

[tryithere]

@ksm19 It's a totally made up story.

[smdog66]

@ksm19 duhhhhhhh!!!!! no **** shirlock

[RzPeters]

@ksm19 No. The story in the song did not really happen, despite the reference to a real person (Al Capone). Plus, very early they say "In the heat of a summer night" which would not be February 14. And, the St. Valentine's Day Massacre was when Capone's gang decimated a rival gang, not the police.

[raqm89]

Yes, the Valentine's day Massacre. Al Capone commissioned the hit but only went o jail for tax evasion. He died of syphilis, i think?

[MrEddythezombie]

@raqm89 he died of a stroke, he had syphilis. everyone knew uncle al's gang did the massacre but there wasnt enough evidence to convict him on it. he was in his house in florida when it happened which is how they got him- he payed for the multi million house upfront with cash so there for tax evasion (his non-mob occupation was a carpenter)

[Kelski1998]

@ksm19

If it was about 2-14-29 in the fair city of Chicago it snowed that day. Hot summer night?

[lmbabygirl1037]

@ksm19 I believe so. I actually have an original paper from that day.

[lmbabygirl1037]

Respond to this video... Songs back in the day told a story. This was real music. Thanks for posting it. ;)

[thundermaster41]

@ksm19 I think so

[diberzowl]

@ksm19 No it's not. St Valentines day massacre killed 7 members of Bugs Morans' gang by Al Capone. No cops were killed.

[sananson]

@diberzowl And the song references a summer night

[JPRibner]

@ksm19: No. The song is completely fictional ... Capone's gang never had a shootout with the police.

[tryithere]

@ksm19 It's a made up story where only the names Al Capone and Chicago are real.

[robharding1957]

this song is very well  done,,a decent band no doubt,,,,

[sczesny46056]

my grandma loved this song because she grew up in chicago and during this particular time in history1

[billyjack64]

Tonight Hawks die via Canucks :)

[MrRoadRunnerXD]

Awesome song

[gunnyranger2]

What was the guitar licks in the beginning of this vid?

[Humbleparksonmain]

Couple of nice racist shots here...thats all, dont wast your time cos...buddy laying at the bottom of the stairs dont look like no Italian to me.

[sk8tachiick5729]

love this song, my dad got these Am Gold 1972-76 cds and it has this song and like all the songs linked to this video lol

[lonewolf7254]

Great song lot of History

[Rwatz62]

@lonewolf7254

not much history at all, Al Capone didn't fight the cops in any great shoot out, he had them all paid off. Everyone getting killed back then were gangsters there were some cops and some innocent civilians but nothing ever happened like this song states

[alfred377]

This video is relatively new, at 1:00 we can see the candles lit for the Lebanese Prime Minister, Rafik Harir.

I am lebanese and I used to hear this song way back in the late 70s

[zvfreak24]

i love how it starts out with an a7x song lmao

[stabbification]

Im not sure a guy getting murdered by having his head smashed in with bricks is a good thing to add to the song..just saying

[ScarU4life]

@stabbification well there WAS a riot in the song, which means it makes sense to add that picture... just saying. dick.

[bienzorro]

@ScarU4life I think you know *Shiat about this Ass ,,,fukin,, shit ,, motherfuker,,, song... Just saying ASS.....H

[JoshGecko]

@stabbification Because the song totally isn't about a mass riot where dozens of people are killed, right?

[avalonjoes]

This song was ripped to shreds by DJs' in Chicago when it came out............everyone in Chicago knows the "East Side of the City" is Lake Michigan.

Still a great old tune!

[Godlesspanther]

I loved it back then and.. I still love it. Thank you.

[getoutofmyway01]

My favorite part was " enter your text here" :P just kidding - I like this song. Thanks for posting.

[LanceGrey]

the published lyrics say, "In the land of the dollar days"

[mayorrjd]

old east side?! unless you live in lake michigan! ; )

[CHEWBAKKAJOHN]

Anyone recall in the 70s.On the radio or some comedy thing.Whomever would be telling a story of somekind and they would put clips of songs in there that where it would sound funny??What was that called?

There was a clip from this song in there.

[tannerb12ss]

@CHEWBAKKAJOHN Try looking up Dickie Goodman. I believe he made those records.

[lcozzarelli]

@CHEWBAKKAJOHN I think you're talking about Dickie Goodman's "Mr Jaws"....I loved that 'song', and in elementary school I made a similar "Beatles Interview" with Beatles songs! :)

[CHEWBAKKAJOHN]

Anyone recall in the 70s.On the radio or some comedy thing.Whomever would be telling a story of somekind and they would put clips of songs in there that where it would sound funny??What was that called?

[LanceGrey]

@CHEWBAKKAJOHN

That would be a montage.

[LanceGrey]

@CHEWBAKKAJOHN That would be a montage.

[iWillTakeYoCheese]

Thanks for making me want to listen to avenged sevenfold now lol :)

[A999737]

ночная москва чем хуже?

[MegaTippy13]

haha

[lieschenmariechen]

LOVE SCARFACE AL CAPONE

[deborahkaye1234]

wake up

[morningXIII]

21 people must be deaf

[finny505]

Love this song - takes me back to my childhood. Thanks for posting.

[mollsybeth]

This used to be my daughter's favorite song. At 6, she knew all the words.

[arrow729]

21 people are from New York

[frankieperz41]

yes there is an east-side,

[JinXMoon]

this song has someting funny, this "war" never hapend, the most colse to the case is the valentine's day massacre, how was betwen rival bands, not the police. but the riot in chicago seems close to a big blackout in the 80' how where dies manny cops. para los que sean de mexico, esta version si vale la pena, no sus estupidad indiadas de la banda toro que solo causa pena ajena

[franzdelcastillovill]

soy cecilia villa esto me gusta

[lastcamie2]

jajajajjajaja a7x

[candyapplechris]

"on the old east side"...hmmm, does he mean in the middle of Lake Michigan? There is no East Side of Chicago.

[cranopal]

@candyapplechris

That would be news to those who live between the Calmut River and The Indiana border. I take it your a Black Sox fan?

[bd9564]

a handful of hits and a uk number 1...actually!

[MrLJM000]

this song is mostly fiction. Al Capone was the head of organized cime smuggleing alchol in to the US during the depression. he was never in a shootout with the police. the largest shootout under his orders was the st. valentine's day massacure

[john48884]

far out this was my first ever ep when i was a kid

[DrGPT]

Thank you for this little (at the time) bit of my history which (at the time) I dismissed as just music creativity, I 've learned to love this song (growing up in River forest steps away from gangster territory) Shhh... Hush... Ok, yes the gangster period is over... but, was it all bad ????? Hmmmm....

[TheLeeNorris]

Not a one hit wonder listen some more....Billy dont be a hero ect...

[djprezence]

Dave Foley from Kids In The Hall, a fellow Canadian, once said in a monologue for MAD TV, "Many Americans believe our national anthem is O Canada, simply because we love singing it before hockey games, but in fact, our national anthem is The Night Chicago Died by Paper Lace"

[raul7pasion]

@djprezence Was that because, during the Prohibition, all the booze came from Canada?

[djprezence]

@raul7pasion I don't even know how to respond to that =/

[bigrobcanuck]

@raul7pasion

Not all the booze came from Canada... just most of it. I suppose thats why Canadian rye whiskey and beer is still considered premium drink in the US.

[twilightedwardbella9]

@djprezence

hahaha I love that monologue he did on madtv!

Being a Canadian, it was really hilarious!

That skit brought me to this song.

gotta love foley

[djprezence]

@twilightedwardbella9 Hahha same reason I got here!! Until then I'd never heard of it..sorry to the fans..

[StrikeroftheBall]

Did Chicago died?

[hoodinnee]

@StrikeroftheBall how can a city die?? its the night When Al Capone Came to Chicago with his gang.

[StrikeroftheBall]

@hoodinnee thanks for clearing that up. I thought Chicago got dieded and didn't know it was just that Al Capone was what the song was talking about. Tell me more about this Al character . Was he a terrorist?

[hoodinnee]

@StrikeroftheBall Do u really not know who Al Capone is???

[Vindicator58]

@hoodinnee -- haha he was a saint compared to Obamar!

[hoodinnee]

@Vindicator58 lmao yea☺



[LBRofWu]

@StrikeroftheBall Are you trolling or are you completely fucking retarded?

[StrikeroftheBall]

@LBRofWu what is this "trolling" that you speak of. I never heard of this "Al Capone" man that you all seem to idolize. I am a simple man with a simple brain and a small ding dong. Are you into scat?

[LBRofWu]

@StrikeroftheBall Very friggin' funny anonfag, get back to chan and celebrate victory over tumblr.

[MayerEO]

wow! i heard this on the radio and loved it! but i missed the intro so when i heard this i almost left the page! thank goodness i didn't <3!

[xf85silverwolf]

Daddy was a cop

On the East Side of Chicago

Back in the USA

Back in the Bad Ole Days

[shelly10538]

We had this 45! Some dork I knew thought it started "Eddie was a cop...", we always said WHO THE #@^#*&^% IS EDDIE?!? The flipside is can you get it when you want it?

[mikedjmix]

whats the intro song called?

[1jwise]

AL CAPONE WAS FROM BROOKLYN

[NightofOrion]

I like Super Junior's version better. XDDDD

[HITLERSBERLINSANDPIT]

i saw this band in 1990

[ifeeltall93]

are the first few lines "benny(or my daddy) was a cop on the east side of Chicago, back in the USA, back in the battle days"???

[MonsterxEnergy88]

Actually yes theres an east side, and Capone was actually raised in that area.

[JS500Y]

@MonsterxEnergy88 He was actually raised in New York and while he did have a house there not much of his activities happened there. Paperlace is from Nottingham, England and admitted that they had never been to Chicago and this "battle" referenced in the song never happened either.

[nenymOxa23]

qke ChiiDa roOla.....iiO la baiiLaba anTez.......bnO pz ahi kn mizz primoOz JA JA....

ezzTa heniiaL......Un cLaziikOo....bnoO ezo creoO....ez loO qke vii

[Gerogiancounty]

There is no east side of Chicago :(

[igg73]

dave foley said this is canadas actual anthem:P

wtf was the lil intro aboot?



[ifeeltall93]

@igg73 I think it says "daddy was a cop on the east side of Chicago, back in the USA, back in the battle days"...which would explain the last verse.

[HITLERSBERLINSANDPIT]

@ifeeltall93 "bad old days"

[camoi18]

@mailtrap22 how do you measure good and bad songs? Maybe it's just your bad/limited taste in good music...

[camoi18]

@mailtrap22

[elcompaj5]

The St. Valentine's Day Massacre?? Is this what this song is about??

[mterracc]

@elcompaj5 the song is based on Al Capone but it's not a true story. Capone's gang never had a huge shootout with the cops and there's no east side of Chicago.

[truckermad2k9]

al capone is the graghtest mafia boss ever lived

[dahsuerk]

So Paper Lace also did "Billy Don't Be A Hero". It was number one in England, but only as high as 96 in America. Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods took that song to number one in Amercan.  Never have heard the Paper Lace version.

[dahsuerk]

So Paper Lace also did "Billy Don't Be A Hero". It was number one in England, but only as high as 96 in America. Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods took that song to number in Amercan. Never have heard the Paper Lace version.

[dg17123]

One of the greatest songs ever!!!!

[frankqu58]

This song I did like at first. When months moved around I got tired of this song. It is like moldy bread. I had picked up the 45rpm but about 6months later I got rid of it. Like moldy bread. I hate moldy bread.

[victorinho2007]

good song.. Exelent quality