Paper Lace ~ 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 fiancee
From where I stood I saw she was cryin'
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 Billy started to go
She said: Keep your pretty head low
Billy don't be a hero
Come back to me

The soldier blues were trapped on a hillside.
The battle ragin' all around.
The sergeant cried "We've gotta hang on boys
We gotta hold this piece of ground
I need a volunteer to ride out
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 Billy started to go
She said: Keep your pretty head low
Billy don't be a hero
Come back to me

I heard his fiancee 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.