Who sang Billy don't be a Hero?

Answer 1

"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. 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 he started to go, she said, 'Billy, keep your 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.