老歌亂談(198)The Night Chicago Died
這首歌是英國樂團Paper Lace於1974推出，在英國排行榜獲得了第3名，美國告示牌熱門百大則為冠軍曲。且獲美國唱片工業協會頒授白金唱片，這代表唱片的銷售量至少超過了一百萬張。
歌曲的故事背景是參考美國紐約的黑幫頭子AL Capone ( 艾爾卡彭 )，其所屬的黑幫在1929年於芝加哥槍殺敵對的幫派份子，也就是著名的「情人節大屠殺 (Saint Valentines Day Massacre)」造成了七人死亡的真實事件所編寫。而因為寫歌者只是源於電影情節及一些自我的想像，實情並非如歌詞中的和警察槍戰，發生的時節與地點也與歷史有些出入。
Paper Lace樂團1974的另一首講述美國內戰的歌曲《Billy Don't Be a Hero》，雖然獲得了英國的單曲冠軍，而在幾個月之後被美國搖滾樂團Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods翻唱並率先在美國市場發行，且登上了排行榜冠軍歌曲的寶座，反而是Paper Lace的原唱版本，後來只得到了96名。
雖然這首《The Night Chicago Died》在美國是如此的暢銷，但Paper Lace樂團從未去美國做過現場演唱，說是因為合約條款的關係，但我認為擔心黑幫或會對之不利，恐怕也是其中重要的原因。呵呵呵！
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!
And 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
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!