The marchin' band came down along Maine 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 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've 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   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 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 the letter away