Am                     D
The marchin' band came down along main street
G                   
The soldier blues fell in behind 
Am                    D
I looked across and there I saw Billy
Em                 G
Waiting to go and join the line
Am                 D
And with her head upon his shoulder
Am                  D
His young and lovely fiancee
Am                 D
From where I stood I saw she was cryin'
Am                    D
And through her tears I heard her say

G                                  Am
Billy, don't be a hero, don't be a fool with your life
Am7                                   G
Billy, don't be a hero, come back and make me your wife
       G            G7
And as he started to go,
         Am                  Cm
She said Billy keep your head low
G               D                  G
Billy, don't be hero, come back to me.

Am                     D
The soldier blues were trapped on a hillside
G
The battle raging all around
Am                   D
The sergeant cried, We've got to hang on boys!"
Em                   G
We've got to hold this piece of ground
Am                 D
I need a volunteer to ride up,
Am                 D
And bring us back some extra men,
Am                  D
And Billy's hand was up in a moment
Am                  D                    D7
Forgettin' all the words she said...she said


CHORUS

Am               D
I heard his fiancee got a letter
G
That told how Billy died that day
Am                   D
The letter said that he was a hero
Em                        G
She should be proud he died that way
Em                    D       G
I heard she threw the letter away