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 fiancé
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 raging all around
The sergeant cried "We've got to hang on, boys!"
"We gotta 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 Billy started to go,
She said, "Keep your pretty head low"
"Billy, don't be a hero, come back to me"
I heard his fiancé 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