This song has a special place in my heart. My husband was a police officer for 20 yrs back in the 70's and 80's in a Chicago area suburb. He was knifed twice, shot at once, hit with a cane breaking his hand as he blocked it, hit with a bat from behind by the wife during a domestic problem which caused a hairline hip fracture, had thumbs hyper-extended 3 times from someone trying to break his hold on them, and countless bruises and abrasions. I received several late night calls from the Sgt or Lt on a few of those injuries reassuring me he was ok and on the more serious incidents they sent an officer to take me to the hospital to see him. I can remember many a night watching him leave for work and just wondering if he'll return home. So, remembering this song from my youth and hearing it now brings it all back. Very chilling but proud of the job he did.
Paper Lace is an English rock band who rose to success in 1974 & during that year had three UK Top 40 hit singles: "Billy Don't Be A Hero", "The Night Chicago Died" & "The Black-Eyed Boys".
One of my fond childhood memories is listening to this song. You know an 11 year old boy was all over a song about a cop taking on Al Capone’s army of gangsters.
I remember his song as a kid. According to Wikipedia “It is about a fictional shoot-out between the Chicago Police and members of the Al Capone Syndicate. The narrator retells his mother's anguish while awaiting news of the fate of her husband, a Chicago policeman.”
@@TheMocholoco I never said there was an East side of Chicago! All I said was it was about the St. Valentine's day massacre, how does that translate to saying the East side of Chicago?
@@debbers The song refers to "the East side of Chicago." Of course, technically every city has an East side and a West side because you can draw a line down the middle and separate it that way. However, references to the various sides of a city are determined by traditions that are based on how a city happens to be divided by status/wealth, ethnicity, and things like this or sometimes by a river they straddle. Chicago is a city that is traditionally divided into a North side and a South side, rather than East and West. The Saint Valentine's Day Massacre was an incident involving the murder of seven people, five of whom were members of Bugs Moran's gang from the North side, by four people with fully automatic weapons, who were most likely members of Al Capone's gang from the South side. It didn't actually involve the police directly, though two of the assailants were identified as being dressed like police officers. This song is about the power struggle between Al Capone's gang and the police, but it has it culminating in one decisive confrontation, which never happened in real life. Instead it was a drawn out affair.
A song we used to sing as kids with a girl who lived down the street was " One dark night while we were all in bed, old lady Leary left a lantern in the shed and the cow kicked it over, winked his eye and said It'll be a hot time in the 'ol town tonight ! FIRE, FIRE, FIRE !!! " Three verses with each verse louder than th previous one. Yes I'm old.
This is one of my favorite songs from the early 70's. There's now a meme saying that Chicago was safer with Capone than it is now, which I wouldn't doubt. The battles between the police and other gangs were brutal. Check out the group Orleans with "Still the One" which is from the same time of the 70's.
I’ve been playing this song since I was little… I made this goofy little hand & head dance with these little sounds I made up…I’m a goof ball! My kids are 29, 33, & 37 & they have known this since they were little enough to sing & enjoy music lol!✌🏻☀️
I had this on 45. Growing up in Chicago I loved this song. The flip side of that 45 was a great but goofy song by the Pipkins called Gimme dat Ding. Legend says Mrs O’Leary’s cow started the fire.
"The Night Chicago Died" is a song by the British Pop group Paper Lace, It is about a fictional shoot-out between the Chicago Police and members of the Al Capone Syndicate!!
This song was from a British group and I believe they take some liberties with historicity. From what I remember in history class, there were very few confrontations between the police and Capone's gang because most of the police worked for Capone already. This song was ubiquitous on the radio when I was a kid.
So glad I grew up with liner notes. Read every word. We were far more informed than young people are now. Even with the internet. Loved me some liner notes.
I loved this song as a 5 year old and always remembered part of the tune, but didn't discover it again until a couple years ago. It was much better in my memories. 😂😂
Every time I hear this song I think of my dad who was a Chicago homicide detective back in the 60s and 70s and we lived on the Eastside!! My husband has been to see Al Capone's grave outside of Chicago. He was on a ghost tour of Chicago and the surrounding area back in '77.
Catchy song, that I remember from my youth. The problem with the lyrics is that Chicago has a West Side, a North Side, and an West Side. The east side is Lake Michigan.
Gives a whole new meaning to the term bloodbath. Women can imagine that your husband getting a call he was shot in the line of duty. Kid back then found out your dad was killed in the line of duty. Never have a chance to even think about hugging your grandkids. Because they're born way after you passed on.
From which event? The song was written by British singer songwriters about things they'd seen in gangster movies. It isn't actually related to anything that happened in real life. It's a lot like Outback Steakhouse. The people that came up with that idea had no knowledge of Australian food or culture, and just concocted recipes based on Australianisms that they were familiar with, based on movies and TV shows, which were usually incorrect to start with, such as the word Bloomin'. We don't say that!!!
I hope I'm not spoiling anything for you by posting this stuff, if I am, forgive me. And let me know and I'll stop posting these! This song tells a story about the notorious gangster Al Capone and his men having a shootout with the police. As you can see from the comments below, there is plenty of debate as to whether or not the story is true. Mitch Murray, who wrote the song, cleared this up when he sent Songfacts the following: "I'd like to start by thanking your contributors for so many flattering comments regarding 'The Night Chicago Died.' As co-writer of this song, I feel qualified to settle some of the questions posed by those comments. My writing partner, Peter Callander, and I are both British and it's true, we'd never been to Chicago at the time we wrote the song - many other parts of the USA, but not Chicago. Having been brought up on a tasty diet of American gangster movies, the term 'East Side' usually meant the seamy side of a city. Of course, looking back, it was used about New York, not Chicago. We (actually, I mostly blame Peter because he had the last words on lyrics while I had the last word on the tunes) were obviously a little careless with our research, as we were when we wrote about Al Capone fighting the 'forces of the law' - I really don't think that ever happened; apparently, the cops were nearly all on Capone's payroll. The song was certainly a work of fiction, and as such, perhaps we should have used fictional gangster names. Still, it's hard to have regrets when your song is #1 in the USA. Just to put the record straight, Paper Lace was the excellent group who recorded our song, but had nothing to do with the writing - that was our department, as was production of the record. Thank you all, once again, for your interest in 'The Night Chicago Died' Mitch Murray, London, England. (West Side of London)" Paper Lace's previous release was "Billy Don't Be A Hero," which was also written by Murray and Callander. It topped the UK chart, but they had to watch as Bo Donaldson And The Heywood's cover version reached #1 in the US. "The Night Chicago Died" gave them a hit both sides of the Atlantic.
Had the 45 of this song as well as Paper Laces' "Billy Don't Be a Hero". Though Bo Donaldson version is excellent, i have better memories and prefer Paper Laces' version.
Wow!!..I havent heard this song in a long time. Memories were flooding back from the summer of 1974 while I was listening to this song. I was 13 in 1974 when this song was released.
The St. Valentine's Day massacre was Al Capone's guys ambushing rival gang members, not the cops. Also (which was a laugh to all of us here in the 1970's when this came out), Chicago doesn't have an east side, which is Lake Michigan.
Asia &BJ I grew up in the 1970’s. The majority of songs I heard on AM radio then FM radio, were these story songs. They were really popular. You may remember Harper Valley P.T.A. by Jeanie C. Riley. That was a story song I heard on the radio. The Night Chicago Died by Paper Lace was also popular. My friends an I at my Elementary school when I 9 or 10 sang this song out loud and also my circle of friends in my neighborhood. We knew all the lyrics and it was a fun song. I had no clue what the song was about. Hehehe. I believe this was about Al Capone and his gang running Chicago.
The Song is about fictional shoot-out between the Chicago Police & members of the Al Capone Crime Syndicate. The Song was inspired by a True Event called The Saint Valentines Day Massacre that occurred in Chicago on Feb 14, 1929.
The Great Chicago Fire occurred in 1871. The "story" is said that it was started when a cow kicked over a kerosene lantern in a barn. Keep in mind modern fire fighting equipment and housing codes did not exist back then and most structures were built of wood. Around 2500 acres of the city was burned, about 3 sq miles, which destroyed over a 1000 buildings, killed 300 people, and lasted for 2 days. This song is about the Prohibition Era in Chicago, when there were continual gang wars between several gangster groups (one led by Al Capone) to seize control of the illegal sales and distribution of booze (also stolen cigarettes as side business). And, of course, such gangster shootouts often involved the police as well.
Mitch Murray, who wrote the song, cleared things up about the song - "The song was certainly a work of fiction, and as such, perhaps we should have used fictional gangster names."
True story. This song recalls the St, Valentine’s Day Massacre in Chicago in the 1930s. It was a battle between Al Capone and Bugs Moran. Al Cspine’s guys dressed as cops to round up the Moran guys and then mowed them down. There’s a great movie about it called the St Valentine’s Day Massacre.
Oh man, when I was a kid, my brother and I would leave the radio on at bedtime hoping to get to hear this song- something about it just sucked us in every time. Great song choice, and great reaction as always!
Holy mobsters!!! I had completely forgotten this song, but amazingly most of the lyrics were still on file somewhere in the back of my mind. Nice nostalgic choice. ♥️✌🏼😎
The song “The Night Chicago Died,” was written by Peter Callander and Mitch Murray. The same songwriters that composed “Billy Don’t Be A Hero.” The song’s story about the fight between rival Chicago gangs and the police who were brought into break it up was based pretty much in fiction. Although some have said that it was based on the gangland murders that occurred in 1929 on Saint Valentine’s Day. The great Chicago fire has nothing to do with this song.
That event your speaking of only Six Gangsters were Killed and the shooters were gangsters Hired by the Capone org to do the killing. The 7th Man killed in the event was an optometrist, Rheinhardt Schwimmer, who like to hang around gangsters.
So, I’m guessing whoever wrote the song used the St Valentine’s Day Massacre as inspiration, maybe. On side note, family lore (my family) had it that relatives lived around the corner from where the St. Valentine’s Day Maasacre happened. I’m really sorry I never followed up on that. That generation is now gone😞
It was a nice 70’s pop song but as others have mentioned it is quite fictional. Song being written by a couple of Brit songwriters. Chicagoans we’re quick to point out that Chicago is divided North and South and not East (which the song refers to) and west.
I love this song! It's about Mrs. O'Learys cow who kicked over a lantern in the barn that started the fire. At least that's the story my grandmother told me!
"Billy Don't Be A hero" was my favorite song as a kid. I still get teared up a little everytime I hear it but I still love it. Could you do a reaction to this song by Paper Lace please? It really was about the shoot out with Capone.
There was a power struggle in Chicago between the police and Al Capone in the late 20s and early 30s, but it didn't culminate in one night as in the song. It was a more drawn out affair.
Not about the Chicago fires. It’s about the 1929 gang wars between Gangsters Bugs Moran and Al Capone that occurred on Valentine’s Day of that year. There’s some really good documentaries on UA-cam about the Valentines Day Massacre this song is about. Worth checking out.
YES...this is an account of the St. Valentine's Day massacre in 1929. You need to review the video that has the actual pictures from the massacre because it really puts into perspective how brutal the 'war' between the mob and the police was. Al Capone's men were known as the hoodlum gang and there was fighting in the streets between the hoodlum gang and police officers.
This song was written by guys who never were in Chicago. They watched too many gangster movies. I am feeling that this was inspired by the Saint Valentines Day Massacre of 1929. These guys wrote Billy Don't Be A Hero as well back in 1974 or near there
Al Capone ruled the streets back then. The climax was called The St Valentines massacre. True story. Not sure anyone in this band had witnessed this. But true
It was about the time of prohibition 1920 when Capone was the big boss. If he couldn't take over your business he would burn it down.thats when the gangs started.
But was his dad with the Mob or was he an Officer? I was 4 when this was released and my brother had the 8-Track. Later on in life he told me that I wore that thing out.....I'm 52 now... Time flies...
I always loved this song when I was a kid. Another great one by them is Billy Don't Be A Hero. So nostalgic. Great request from Lee 😊.
Yes!!!!
J....I don't think I've heard anyone do....Billy don't be a hero!!
@@michaelasay8587 I've only heard it from Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods.
We must be the same age...I listened to these often as a 12-13 year old kid!! Remember every word today!!
@@vickybrackin7483 Probably! I'm (to my surprise, lol) 58; class of '82. 😊 -Joni
This song has a special place in my heart. My husband was a police officer for 20 yrs back in the 70's and 80's in a Chicago area suburb. He was knifed twice, shot at once, hit with a cane breaking his hand as he blocked it, hit with a bat from behind by the wife during a domestic problem which caused a hairline hip fracture, had thumbs hyper-extended 3 times from someone trying to break his hold on them, and countless bruises and abrasions. I received several late night calls from the Sgt or Lt on a few of those injuries reassuring me he was ok and on the more serious incidents they sent an officer to take me to the hospital to see him. I can remember many a night watching him leave for work and just wondering if he'll return home. So, remembering this song from my youth and hearing it now brings it all back. Very chilling but proud of the job he did.
Paper Lace is an English rock band who rose to success in 1974 & during that year had three UK Top 40 hit singles: "Billy Don't Be A Hero", "The Night Chicago Died" & "The Black-Eyed Boys".
This was in such heavy rotation on AM radio back in the day, after not hearing it for at least 45-50 years, i can still sung it word-for-word. Classic
The Great Chicago Fire was in the 1870s, Capone and his gang trying to take over the city was in the 1930s.
Yes.
Capone and the outfit had control of Chicago in the 1920's After Capone went to prison the outfit grew in the 1930's
One of my fond childhood memories is listening to this song. You know an 11 year old boy was all over a song about a cop taking on Al Capone’s army of gangsters.
I remember his song as a kid. According to Wikipedia “It is about a fictional shoot-out between the Chicago Police and members of the Al Capone Syndicate. The narrator retells his mother's anguish while awaiting news of the fate of her husband, a Chicago policeman.”
The narrator is one of their children.
“I heard my mama cry...”.
That’s what gives me goosebumps.
@@thewiseoldherper7047 this is not fictional it really happened!
@@debbers The "East side of Chicago" is the river, there is no east side of Chicago.
@@TheMocholoco I never said there was an East side of Chicago! All I said was it was about the St. Valentine's day massacre, how does that translate to saying the East side of Chicago?
@@debbers The song refers to "the East side of Chicago." Of course, technically every city has an East side and a West side because you can draw a line down the middle and separate it that way. However, references to the various sides of a city are determined by traditions that are based on how a city happens to be divided by status/wealth, ethnicity, and things like this or sometimes by a river they straddle. Chicago is a city that is traditionally divided into a North side and a South side, rather than East and West.
The Saint Valentine's Day Massacre was an incident involving the murder of seven people, five of whom were members of Bugs Moran's gang from the North side, by four people with fully automatic weapons, who were most likely members of Al Capone's gang from the South side. It didn't actually involve the police directly, though two of the assailants were identified as being dressed like police officers.
This song is about the power struggle between Al Capone's gang and the police, but it has it culminating in one decisive confrontation, which never happened in real life. Instead it was a drawn out affair.
This song and Billy Don’t be a Hero we’re dominating the radio in the mid 70s. Love their music!
This song is about Al Capone and organized crime in Chicago from around 1925 - early 1930's.
It is not about the Chicago fire.
From the title it could be about either of those events. Before I saw the lyrics I thought it' was about the riots in the 1960's.
English band Paper Lace were huge in Australia in 1974. Both "The Night Chicago Died" and "Billy Don't Be A Hero" were Number 1 for 8 weeks .
Except the "east side of Chicago" is more commonly called Lake Michigan so yea, you kind of knew they were not American.
A song we used to sing as kids with a girl who lived down the street was " One dark night while we were all in bed, old lady Leary left a lantern in the shed and the cow kicked it over, winked his eye and said It'll be a hot time in the 'ol town tonight ! FIRE, FIRE, FIRE !!! " Three verses with each verse louder than th previous one. Yes I'm old.
It blows my mind that this song was recorded 50 years ago. I remember this song when I was a kid. I also loved it.
My favorite was always Billy Don't Be A Hero.
Same! Still have the 45
@@chillywilly9080 Unfortunately I lost all my 45's and LP's in a house fire back in '95.
Me Too!!!! How about, One Tin Soilder?
Billy don't be a hero, made me sad even at 7 years old
Paper Lace was a British band. This is a fictional story about a big battle between the CPD and AL Capones gang.
This is one of my favorite songs from the early 70's. There's now a meme saying that Chicago was safer with Capone than it is now, which I wouldn't doubt. The battles between the police and other gangs were brutal. Check out the group Orleans with "Still the One" which is from the same time of the 70's.
No, it was about 'Chicago fires' lol
I love that song.. Still the One by Orleans. I second that request!
I’ve been playing this song since I was little… I made this goofy little hand & head dance with these little sounds I made up…I’m a goof ball! My kids are 29, 33, & 37 & they have known this since they were little enough to sing & enjoy music lol!✌🏻☀️
There's a really good cover of this song sung by Vicki Rosti, a Finnish woman who has competed in the Eurovision Song Contest
I had this on 45. Growing up in Chicago I loved this song. The flip side of that 45 was a great but goofy song by the Pipkins called Gimme dat Ding. Legend says Mrs O’Leary’s cow started the fire.
Asia & BJ, "Billy Don't Be a Hero" was another hit song for them.
Love that song!!! Hope they do the video!
Your reactions and enjoyment of this song say way more than any of us commenting here, could say
"The Night Chicago Died" is a song by the British Pop group Paper Lace, It is about a fictional shoot-out between the Chicago Police and members of the Al Capone Syndicate!!
This song was from a British group and I believe they take some liberties with historicity. From what I remember in history class, there were very few confrontations between the police and Capone's gang because most of the police worked for Capone already.
This song was ubiquitous on the radio when I was a kid.
My mom had this on a 45 record. It was one of my favorites 😍 ❤️
This song made me a hugh fan of Paper Lace back in the day.
So glad I grew up with liner notes. Read every word. We were far more informed than young people are now. Even with the internet. Loved me some liner notes.
Bubble gum pop. To hard rockers like myself we would never admit to liking stuff like this but secretly we would listen to our guilty pleasures.
I loved this song as a 5 year old and always remembered part of the tune, but didn't discover it again until a couple years ago. It was much better in my memories. 😂😂
Back then there were good tunes in all versions of rock including disco. wish it was true for todays music
I loved that when I was a teenager. 1973 I think.
Every time I hear this song I think of my dad who was a Chicago homicide detective back in the 60s and 70s and we lived on the Eastside!! My husband has been to see Al Capone's grave outside of Chicago. He was on a ghost tour of Chicago and the surrounding area back in '77.
6 years young, rockin out to this. Thanks for the post.
Now this takes me back!! Love the music 🎶 Love this🔥
Catchy song, that I remember from my youth. The problem with the lyrics is that Chicago has a West Side, a North Side, and an West Side. The east side is Lake Michigan.
I had this 45 (record) and I played it into the ground. Always loved it. Next do Billy Don't Be A Hero.
Just looked this up (curious myself)... Look up "story behind the night Chicago died". It was about the 'Saint Valentine's Massacre'. :)
Gives a whole new meaning to the term bloodbath. Women can imagine that your husband getting a call he was shot in the line of duty. Kid back then found out your dad was killed in the line of duty. Never have a chance to even think about hugging your grandkids. Because they're born way after you passed on.
There is a youtube video of this song, with photographs from the event. It's very good to watch.
From which event? The song was written by British singer songwriters about things they'd seen in gangster movies. It isn't actually related to anything that happened in real life. It's a lot like Outback Steakhouse. The people that came up with that idea had no knowledge of Australian food or culture, and just concocted recipes based on Australianisms that they were familiar with, based on movies and TV shows, which were usually incorrect to start with, such as the word Bloomin'. We don't say that!!!
My word! I haven't heard this song for at least 40 years!
I hope I'm not spoiling anything for you by posting this stuff, if I am, forgive me. And let me know and I'll stop posting these!
This song tells a story about the notorious gangster Al Capone and his men having a shootout with the police. As you can see from the comments below, there is plenty of debate as to whether or not the story is true. Mitch Murray, who wrote the song, cleared this up when he sent Songfacts the following:
"I'd like to start by thanking your contributors for so many flattering comments regarding 'The Night Chicago Died.' As co-writer of this song, I feel qualified to settle some of the questions posed by those comments. My writing partner, Peter Callander, and I are both British and it's true, we'd never been to Chicago at the time we wrote the song - many other parts of the USA, but not Chicago.
Having been brought up on a tasty diet of American gangster movies, the term 'East Side' usually meant the seamy side of a city. Of course, looking back, it was used about New York, not Chicago. We (actually, I mostly blame Peter because he had the last words on lyrics while I had the last word on the tunes) were obviously a little careless with our research, as we were when we wrote about Al Capone fighting the 'forces of the law' - I really don't think that ever happened; apparently, the cops were nearly all on Capone's payroll.
The song was certainly a work of fiction, and as such, perhaps we should have used fictional gangster names. Still, it's hard to have regrets when your song is #1 in the USA.
Just to put the record straight, Paper Lace was the excellent group who recorded our song, but had nothing to do with the writing - that was our department, as was production of the record. Thank you all, once again, for your interest in 'The Night Chicago Died' Mitch Murray, London, England. (West Side of London)"
Paper Lace's previous release was "Billy Don't Be A Hero," which was also written by Murray and Callander. It topped the UK chart, but they had to watch as Bo Donaldson And The Heywood's cover version reached #1 in the US. "The Night Chicago Died" gave them a hit both sides of the Atlantic.
I JUST READ THE SAME THING...GOOD READ, HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FIRE.
Had the 45 of this song as well as Paper Laces' "Billy Don't Be a Hero". Though Bo Donaldson version is excellent, i have better memories and prefer Paper Laces' version.
Wow.... Thank u. Informative.
Except the "east side of Chicago" is more commonly called Lake Michigan
Wow!!..I havent heard this song in a long time.
Memories were flooding back from the summer of 1974 while I was listening to this song. I was 13 in 1974 when this song was released.
Great nostalgia from the 70s...still have my 45. Absolutely love this song
The St. Valentine's Day massacre was Al Capone's guys ambushing rival gang members, not the cops. Also (which was a laugh to all of us here in the 1970's when this came out), Chicago doesn't have an east side, which is Lake Michigan.
That’s what I was thinking too! South side maybe but not east side.
This song has always gave me a weird feeling when I was little. Love this song.
Asia &BJ I grew up in the 1970’s. The majority of songs I heard on AM radio then FM radio, were these story songs. They were really popular. You may remember Harper Valley P.T.A. by Jeanie C. Riley. That was a story song I heard on the radio. The Night Chicago Died by Paper Lace was also popular. My friends an I at my Elementary school when I 9 or 10 sang this song out loud and also my circle of friends in my neighborhood. We knew all the lyrics and it was a fun song. I had no clue what the song was about. Hehehe.
I believe this was about Al Capone and his gang running Chicago.
O.K. How many of us were yelling at our computer screens for 5 minutes while you two talked about a fire? : )
The Song is about fictional shoot-out between the Chicago Police & members of the Al Capone Crime Syndicate. The Song was inspired by a True Event called The Saint Valentines Day Massacre that occurred in Chicago on Feb 14, 1929.
This is about the St. Valentine's Day Massacre in Chicago. Bloody war!
Gosh, not heard this for years and years, thanks for the trip down memory lane.
The Great Chicago Fire occurred in 1871. The "story" is said that it was started when a cow kicked over a kerosene lantern in a barn. Keep in mind modern fire fighting equipment and housing codes did not exist back then and most structures were built of wood. Around 2500 acres of the city was burned, about 3 sq miles, which destroyed over a 1000 buildings, killed 300 people, and lasted for 2 days. This song is about the Prohibition Era in Chicago, when there were continual gang wars between several gangster groups (one led by Al Capone) to seize control of the illegal sales and distribution of booze (also stolen cigarettes as side business). And, of course, such gangster shootouts often involved the police as well.
This hit song rocked it! The Great Chicago fire.
Mitch Murray, who wrote the song, cleared things up about the song - "The song was certainly a work of fiction, and as such, perhaps we should have used fictional gangster names."
True story. This song recalls the St, Valentine’s Day Massacre in Chicago in the 1930s. It was a battle between Al Capone and Bugs Moran. Al Cspine’s guys dressed as cops to round up the Moran guys and then mowed them down. There’s a great movie about it called the St Valentine’s Day Massacre.
Oh man, when I was a kid, my brother and I would leave the radio on at bedtime hoping to get to hear this song- something about it just sucked us in every time. Great song choice, and great reaction as always!
❤it
This came out when I was on high school. Great memories.
Holy mobsters!!! I had completely forgotten this song, but amazingly most of the lyrics were still on file somewhere in the back of my mind. Nice nostalgic choice. ♥️✌🏼😎
Asia & B.J, Check out Deep Purple
( Mistreated) Audio from the album
Burn 🔥...David Coverdale/ from
Whitesnake is the lead Singer, 1974
The song “The Night Chicago Died,” was written by Peter Callander and Mitch Murray. The same songwriters that composed “Billy Don’t Be A Hero.” The song’s story about the fight between rival Chicago gangs and the police who were brought into break it up was based pretty much in fiction. Although some have said that it was based on the gangland murders that occurred in 1929 on Saint Valentine’s Day. The great Chicago fire has nothing to do with this song.
That event your speaking of only Six Gangsters were Killed and the shooters were gangsters Hired by the Capone org to do the killing. The 7th Man killed in the event was an optometrist, Rheinhardt Schwimmer, who like to hang around gangsters.
I used to listen to this song when I was a kid, brings back memories
So, I’m guessing whoever wrote the song used the St Valentine’s Day Massacre as inspiration, maybe.
On side note, family lore (my family) had it that relatives lived around the corner from where the St. Valentine’s Day Maasacre happened. I’m really sorry I never followed up on that. That generation is now gone😞
My favourite song since years.I heard my mama crie....
I was a little kid in Chicago when this came out. All the neighborhood kids loved it,lol
Memories of my uncles This group among others was always playing. You all need to check out Paul Revere and the Raiders Cherokee People. Great song
Holy crap, I had that 45. I'm old. Awesome!
Me too, lol!
Brings back memories, great song!
It was a nice 70’s pop song but as others have mentioned it is quite fictional. Song being written by a couple of Brit songwriters. Chicagoans we’re quick to point out that Chicago is divided North and South and not East (which the song refers to) and west.
LoL damn haven't herd this song like forever love this stuff. Asia and Bj keep it rocking ☮️
My next door neighbor bought this 45 when we were both in 4th grade and we'd listen over and over 🙂
Wow!!! Haven't heard this one in decades!!!! Dang, I was a kid, good stuff!!!! Thanks😊
I love this song! It's about Mrs. O'Learys cow who kicked over a lantern in the barn that started the fire. At least that's the story my grandmother told me!
1975 i see this band in Finland!
I remember when they played this one all of the time!
The song was about the big confrontation between the police and the mob under Al Capone.His Dad was a cop.
"Billy Don't Be A hero" was my favorite song as a kid. I still get teared up a little everytime I hear it but I still love it. Could you do a reaction to this song by Paper Lace please?
It really was about the shoot out with Capone.
Fire in Wisconsin at the same time in smaller town was actually more devestating regarding deaths.
Wow I totally forgot about this song. Thanks for reacting to it!
I remember this song from back in the day. It's been a long time since I've heard it though. Great reaction.
OMG this song brings back memories of 7th grade!! AAAAGHH!!
Haven’t heard this since I was a kid, thank you soooooo much !
I just turned 7 again! What memories!
I remember the girls would sing this on the school bus.
About time someone found this song everyone else seems to pass it by.
Love this song!!!
That entire album was great, one of the lesser played songs "I did what I did for Maria"...
Sorry was not finished yet. Maria is a song about true love and honoring your love.
High school days again. Love it.
Story behind this song was around the end of Prohibition of Alcohol
There was a power struggle in Chicago between the police and Al Capone in the late 20s and early 30s, but it didn't culminate in one night as in the song. It was a more drawn out affair.
Not about the Chicago fires. It’s about the 1929 gang wars between Gangsters Bugs Moran and Al Capone that occurred on Valentine’s Day of that year. There’s some really good documentaries on UA-cam about the Valentines Day Massacre this song is about. Worth checking out.
It was based on the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. It really did happen.
oh i forgot all about this song.
thanks agian!
YES...this is an account of the St. Valentine's Day massacre in 1929. You need to review the video that has the actual pictures from the massacre because it really puts into perspective how brutal the 'war' between the mob and the police was. Al Capone's men were known as the hoodlum gang and there was fighting in the streets between the hoodlum gang and police officers.
This song was written by guys who never were in Chicago. They watched too many gangster movies. I am feeling that this was inspired by the Saint Valentines Day Massacre of 1929. These guys wrote Billy Don't Be A Hero as well back in 1974 or near there
I think you'll love "Paper Late" by Phil Collins MUCH more. And then check out "Take Me Home". Also by Phil Collins. LIVE version video!!!
Good old school song!🙌
The song was actually inspired by the St. Valentine's Day massacre where Al Capone's gang wiped out the Bugs Moran gang.
Al Capone ruled the streets back then. The climax was called The St Valentines massacre. True story. Not sure anyone in this band had witnessed this. But true
I used to think it was about the Chicago Cubs But seriously you taught me something new Great old song
It was about the time of prohibition 1920 when Capone was the big boss. If he couldn't take over your business he would burn it down.thats when the gangs started.
Billy don't be a hero is another great song by them
They're talking about the "St. Valentines Day Massacre".....Irish Mob Bugsy Moran and Italian Mob Al Capone / AKA Scarface.
The st.valentines day massacre in 1929, with al capone in Chicago, Illinois!!!
This was a big hit when AM radio was still a thing; despite separating Chicago into East and West sides instead of North and South.
Native Chicagoan here. There actually is an East Side neighborhood in Chicago.
@@jeffreyforte Good to know. Thanks for setting me straight.
But was his dad with the Mob or was he an Officer? I was 4 when this was released and my brother had the 8-Track. Later on in life he told me that I wore that thing out.....I'm 52 now... Time flies...