“Billy Don’t Be A Hero” is a 1974 anti-war pop song by Paper Lace and was also recorded by Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods. It was written by Mitch Murray and Peter Callander.
Because the song was released in 1974, it is often associated with the Vietnam War, though it may also refer to the American Civil War as evidenced by the “soldier blues” (the Union Forces) in the lyrics and on the cover of the single album. A young woman is distraught that her fiancé chooses to leave the area with an Army contingent passing through the town and go with them to fight.
The song goes on to describe how Billy is killed in action in a pitched battle after volunteering to ride out and seek reinforcements. In the end, the woman throws away the regret letter notifying her of Billy’s “heroic” death.
Paper Lace’s version of “Billy Don't Be a Hero” hit number one on the UK singles chart on March 16 1974. The band made plans to release it in America but the song was covered and released by Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods. Their version was rushed out before Paper Lace could release and it hit no 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on June 15. Subsequently although Paper Lace had the chart-topper in the UK, its version stalled at #96 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Bo Donaldson version failed to chart at all in the UK.¹
The marching band came down along Main Street
The soldiers blue step in behind
I looked across and there I saw Billy
Waiting to go and going the line
And with her head upon his shoulder
His young and lovely fiance
From were I stood I saw she was crying
And through a tear I heard her say
"Billy, don’t be a hero,
Don’t be a fool with your life!
Billy, don’t be a hero,
Come back and make me your wife."
And as Billy started to go
She said "keep your pretty head low,
Billy, don’t be a hero, come back to me"
The soldiers blue were traped on a hill side
The battle raging all around
The seargent cried "we’ve got to hang on, boys.
We’ve got to hold this piece of land
I need a voluteer to ride up
And bring us back some extra men"
And Billy’s hand was up in a moment
forgeting all the words she said.
She said:
"Billy, don’t be a hero,
Don’t be a fool with your life!
Billy, don’t be a hero,
Come back and make me your wife."
And as Billy started to go
She said "keep your pretty head low,
Billy, don’t be a hero, come back to me"
I heard his fiance got a lettter
That told how Billy died that day
The lettter said that he was a hero
She should be proud he died that way
I heard she threw the letter away
"Billy, don’t be a hero,
Don't be a fool with your life!
Billy, don’t be a hero,
Come back and make me your wife."
And as Billy started to go
She said "keep your pretty head low,
Billy, don’t be a hero, come back to me"
Because the song was released in 1974, it is often associated with the Vietnam War, though it may also refer to the American Civil War as evidenced by the “soldier blues” (the Union Forces) in the lyrics and on the cover of the single album. A young woman is distraught that her fiancé chooses to leave the area with an Army contingent passing through the town and go with them to fight.
The song goes on to describe how Billy is killed in action in a pitched battle after volunteering to ride out and seek reinforcements. In the end, the woman throws away the regret letter notifying her of Billy’s “heroic” death.
Paper Lace’s version of “Billy Don't Be a Hero” hit number one on the UK singles chart on March 16 1974. The band made plans to release it in America but the song was covered and released by Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods. Their version was rushed out before Paper Lace could release and it hit no 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on June 15. Subsequently although Paper Lace had the chart-topper in the UK, its version stalled at #96 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Bo Donaldson version failed to chart at all in the UK.¹
The marching band came down along Main Street
The soldiers blue step in behind
I looked across and there I saw Billy
Waiting to go and going the line
And with her head upon his shoulder
His young and lovely fiance
From were I stood I saw she was crying
And through a tear I heard her say
"Billy, don’t be a hero,
Don’t be a fool with your life!
Billy, don’t be a hero,
Come back and make me your wife."
And as Billy started to go
She said "keep your pretty head low,
Billy, don’t be a hero, come back to me"
The soldiers blue were traped on a hill side
The battle raging all around
The seargent cried "we’ve got to hang on, boys.
We’ve got to hold this piece of land
I need a voluteer to ride up
And bring us back some extra men"
And Billy’s hand was up in a moment
forgeting all the words she said.
She said:
"Billy, don’t be a hero,
Don’t be a fool with your life!
Billy, don’t be a hero,
Come back and make me your wife."
And as Billy started to go
She said "keep your pretty head low,
Billy, don’t be a hero, come back to me"
I heard his fiance got a lettter
That told how Billy died that day
The lettter said that he was a hero
She should be proud he died that way
I heard she threw the letter away
"Billy, don’t be a hero,
Don't be a fool with your life!
Billy, don’t be a hero,
Come back and make me your wife."
And as Billy started to go
She said "keep your pretty head low,
Billy, don’t be a hero, come back to me"
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