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

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

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-na-na-na-na

the night Chicago died

Brother, what a night

the people saw

brother, what a fight

the people saw

yes, indeed

The night Chicago died

na-na-na, na-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