The marchin' 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 he started to go
she said \"Billy, keep your head lo-o-ow\"
\"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 got to hold this piece a'ground\"
\"I need a volunteer to ride up\"
\"And bring us back some extra men\"
And Billy's hand was up in a moment
Forgettin' 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 lo-o-ow\"
\"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 that letter away
