Billy, Don't Be A Hero
| The Marching Band
came down along Main Street
The Soldier Blues fell in behind I looked across and there I saw Billy Waiting to go and join the line And with her head upon his shoulder His young and lovely fiance From where I stood I saw she was crying And through her tears 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 he started to go She said, "Billy keep your head low," Billy don't be a hero, come back to me The Soldier Blues were trapped on a hillside The battle raging all around The Sergeant cried, "We got to hang on boys, We got to hold this piece of ground, I need a volunteer to ride up, And bring us back some extra men." And Billy's hand was up in a moment Forgetting 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 he started to go She said, "Billy keep your head low," Billy don't be a hero, come back to me I heard his fiance got a letter That told how Billy died that day The letter said that he was a hero She should be proud he died that way I heard she threw the letter away... |
|
Background
Music: Billy, Don't Be A Hero
|
|
About This Music
"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 actually refers 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. Also, A 1974 music video shows the band performing in Union uniforms. 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. She laments,
"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 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.