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 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 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 of ground
I need a volunteer to ride up
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 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 that letter away