My daddy was a cop on the east side of Chicago 
Back in the USA 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 

And ther 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 
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 
The night Chicago died 
Brother what a night it really was 
Brother what a fight it really was 
Glory be 

The night Chicago died 
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