Daddy was a cop on the east side of Chicago Back in the U.S.A., 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
[Pre-Chorus 1] 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
[Pre-Chorus 2] 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 upon 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) The night Chicago died Brother what a night the people saw Brother what a fight the people saw Yes indeed!
[Outro] The night Chicago died (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)