(Hello again, Dear Readers! I’m using Fridays to test out some possible new recurring series here on Cracked Rear Viewer, beginning today with a look back at some “One Hit Wonders”. Enjoy!)
British pop group Paper Lace had their only hit in America with 1974’s “The Night Chicago Died”, an ode to those halcyon days of the Roaring Twenties, when Al Capone and his mob ruled that toddlin’ town of Chicago:
The song was written by the hitmaking team of Peter Callander & Mitch Murray, a couple of lads who penned songs for Georgie Fame (“The Ballad of Bonnie & Clyde”), The Tremeloes (“Even the Bad Times Are Good”), and Vanity Fare (“Hitchin’ A Ride”). The duo wrote another tune for Paper Lace titled “Billy, Don’t Be A Hero” that didn’t score on this side of the pond; the immortal Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods had the hit version here in the U.S.
Seems Messers Callander and Murray didn’t quite do their geography homework, though. The events in “The Night Chicago Died” take place “on the East Side of Chicago”, which would make things pretty wet, since that’s where Lake Michigan is located! Still, the song serves as an homage to all those 30’s Cagney/Bogie/Robinson Warner Brothers films we all know and love. As for Paper Lace, they kind of petered out in England around the late 70’s, but they’ll be forever remembered for this One Hit Wonder about the battle between Al Capone and the cops in the middle of Lake Michigan from the glory days of story-songs, the 1970’s!
“The Night Chicago Died”, music & lyrics by Peter Callander & Mitch Murray
(What do you Dear Readers think of “One Hit Wonders”? Any suggestions? As always, your comments and feedback are more than welcome!! )
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