PianoChords.studio

The Night Chicago Died by Paper Lace

Piano chords, voicings & structure breakdown · 19 steps · 3 unique chords · 1970s

Expert transcription. These chords come from a published research transcription of the original recording by trained musicians. A second independent transcription to cross-check against isn't available (or differs in places), so this page isn't marked verified.
IntroStep 1 of 19

C

LeftC2, G2RightC4, E4, G4
C2G2C4E4G4
Left hand Right hand Middle C (C4)

Harmonic Analysis & Structure

Overview

Key: C major · Chords used: 3 · Sections: 8

Form: Intro → Verse → Chorus → Verse → Chorus → Verse → Chorus → Chorus

Where these chords come from: an expert transcription of the original recording made for the McGill Billboard Project (Burgoyne, Wild & Fujinaga, 2011). This page shows that transcription as-is: the analysis below is generated directly from it by code, not written by AI. Consecutive repeats of a chord are shown once, and the piano voicings are our playable arrangement of each chord symbol, not a note-for-note transcription.

Section by section

Intro

  • C
    I

Verse 1

  • Dm – G – C (×2)
    ii – V – I

Chorus 1

  • C – Dm – G (×2)
    I – ii – V
  • C
    I

Verse 2

  • Dm – G – C (×4)
    ii – V – I

Chorus 2

Same chords as Chorus 1.

Verse 3

  • Dm – G – C (×3)
    ii – V – I

Chorus 3

Same chords as Chorus 1.

Chorus 4

  • C – Dm – G – C – Dm
    I – ii – V – I – ii

Chord vocabulary

ChordRoman numeralRoleHeard in
CIHome chord (tonic)Intro, Verse, Chorus
DmiiIn the keyVerse, Chorus
GVIn the keyVerse, Chorus

Sources & accuracy

  • Chords and sections: the McGill Billboard Project (Burgoyne, Wild & Fujinaga, 2011). Expert transcription by trained musicians (song 0767, CC0), via ChoCo.
  • Not verified: only one expert transcription of this song is available so far.
  • Rhythm and chord durations aren't shown; each step is one chord change.

Sources & Accuracy

Every chord on this page comes from the expert transcription listed first below. Piano voicings are our arrangement of the reported chord symbols, not a note-for-note transcription.

All Piano Voicings

#SectionChordLeft handRight handSources
1IntroCC2, G2C4, E4, G4—
2Verse 1 (×2)DmD2, A2D4, F4, A4—
3Verse 1 (×2)GG2, D3D4, G4, B4—
4Verse 1 (×2)CC2, G2E4, G4, C5—
5Chorus 1, part 1 (×2)CC2, G2E4, G4, C5—
6Chorus 1, part 1 (×2)DmD2, A2F4, A4, D5—
7Chorus 1, part 1 (×2)GG2, D3G4, B4, D5—
8Chorus 1, part 2CC2, G2G4, C5, E5—
9Verse 2 (×4)DmD2, A2F4, A4, D5—
10Verse 2 (×4)GG2, D3G4, B4, D5—
11Verse 2 (×4)CC2, G2G4, C5, E5—
12Verse 3 (×3)DmD2, A2F4, A4, D5—
13Verse 3 (×3)GG2, D3G4, B4, D5—
14Verse 3 (×3)CC2, G2G4, C5, E5—
15Chorus 4CC2, G2G4, C5, E5—
16Chorus 4DmD2, A2F4, A4, D5—
17Chorus 4GG2, D3G4, B4, D5—
18Chorus 4CC2, G2G4, C5, E5—
19Chorus 4DmD2, A2F4, A4, D5—