Billy don't be a hero
Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods
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 fiancée
From where I stood I saw she was crying
And thru 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've got to hang on boys, we've got to hold this piece o' ground
I need a volunteer to ride up, and bring us back come extra men
And Billy's hand was up in a moment forgetting all the word she said,
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 fiancée 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
