# Family Disagrees About "Billy, Don't be a Hero". Help! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 24, 2005, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-disagrees-about-billy-dont-be-a-hero-help/327650 "2005-10-24T13:05:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-disagrees-about-billy-dont-be-a-hero-help/327650/1 "2005-10-24T13:05:13Z")
You all know the premise of the song, right? Billy goes off to war after being warned by his “young and lovely fiancee” warns him not to be a hero. Not that it’s pertinent to my question, but he ends up being a hero and dying and she throws the letter about in the garbage. So, anyway, what’s my question? Oh! What war are we talking about here? I always assumed Vietnam because of when the song was popular. Last night my sister calls asking me to settle a bet between her and her husband. He agrees with me; she thinks it’s the Revolutionary War and even feels the riding of horses is implied in the song. After hashing it out a little, we tentatively concluded that it was the Civil War because of the mention of Soldier Blues marching down main street, but I still feel the story telling has too modern a feel for that. Opinions? ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-disagrees-about-billy-dont-be-a-hero-help/327650/2 "2005-10-24T13:06:38Z")
Well, I see I should have previewed that first paragraph. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-disagrees-about-billy-dont-be-a-hero-help/327650/3 "2005-10-24T13:17:30Z")
[Lyrics](http://users.cis.net/sammy/bllyhero.htm). The use of ‘soldier blues’ as a reference to the soldiers suggests to me the US Civil War. Could also be the American Revolution by the same evidence, I think. And I agree with your sis - the horse is definitely implied. I’m not seeing a whole lot suggesting Vietnam, personally. So, that’s 3 separate wars suggested. \>\_\> I don’t think the specific war really matters too much, however. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-disagrees-about-billy-dont-be-a-hero-help/327650/4 "2005-10-24T13:26:28Z")
I always felt it was about the Civil War, too. Oh, wait, I’m from the South, make that War of Northern Aggression. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-disagrees-about-billy-dont-be-a-hero-help/327650/5 "2005-10-24T13:31:29Z")
I always assumed it was about Vietnam. Certainly it was written and recorded during that era. Nothing about it specifically identifies the war, however, and that may be intentional. In any case, even if it had glaringly obvious clues pointing to the Revolutionary War or the Civil War, it was about Vietnam. How naive can you get? I can’t open the link with lyrics, but I don’t recall anything about horses, and “soldier blue” needn’t be taken literally. It’s an expression that’s understood, and fits the rhyme and meter. ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-disagrees-about-billy-dont-be-a-hero-help/327650/6 "2005-10-24T13:47:16Z")
I, too, never thought that the term “soldier blue” meant anything in particular. There was just some bad song writing at the time and songwriters seemed to love to throw the word “blue” around willy-nilly. But, I could be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-disagrees-about-billy-dont-be-a-hero-help/327650/7 "2005-10-24T13:51:20Z")
The original version was by [Paper Lace](http://www.sonsandlovers.co.uk/PAPER%20LACE.htm) (“the most successful band Nottingham ever produced”), who performed it wearing Civil War uniforms, so I never considered that it might be about anything else. Not definitive, I know, but suggestive. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-disagrees-about-billy-dont-be-a-hero-help/327650/8 "2005-10-24T14:01:17Z")
Definitely Civil War. No lines like: Billy, don’t smoke the heroin, Don’t do the local whores. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-disagrees-about-billy-dont-be-a-hero-help/327650/9 "2005-10-24T14:05:45Z")
The only debate about that is wether the song sucks ass or if it sucks monkey ass. It is possbile to write something set in one time and place and be about a different time and place. See Star Trek. ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-disagrees-about-billy-dont-be-a-hero-help/327650/10 "2005-10-24T14:05:49Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I… > I can’t open the link with lyrics, but I don’t recall anything about horses… This line is what they’re talking about: “I need a volunteer to ride up And bring us back some extra men” “Ride up,” for a lot of folk, ‘implies’ riding on a horse, especially when combined with the “soldier blue” phrase earlier. Both are, of course, implied, as several have said. He certainly could have ridden up in a jeep. He certainly could have been an Air Force soldier (blue uniform)… Go with what works for you. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-disagrees-about-billy-dont-be-a-hero-help/327650/11 "2005-10-24T14:09:04Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > The only debate about that is wether the song sucks ass or if it sucks monkey ass. > It is possbile to write something set in one time and place and be about a different time and place. See Star Trek. Star Trek is written??? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-disagrees-about-billy-dont-be-a-hero-help/327650/12 "2005-10-24T14:16:15Z")
And the ads run 3-0 Civil War. ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-disagrees-about-billy-dont-be-a-hero-help/327650/13 "2005-10-24T14:24:04Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > The original version was by [Paper Lace](http://www.sonsandlovers.co.uk/PAPER%20LACE.htm) (“the most successful band Nottingham ever produced”), who performed it wearing Civil War uniforms, so I never considered that it might be about anything else. Not definitive, I know, but suggestive. Interestingly, both the version done by Paper Lace and the version done by Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods were released very close to one another. However, as one fan writes: [“I happen to think that two versions of Billy, Don’t Be A Hero are two versions too many…”](http://www.rocksnobs.com/2004_09_13_news.html) and many here seem to be in agreement (including me). ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-disagrees-about-billy-dont-be-a-hero-help/327650/14 "2005-10-24T14:25:03Z")
Funny Paper Lace should be mentioned. I’ve always associated the song with “The Night Chicago Died” and now my sister tells me her husband does too. Anyone (everyone) else? ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-disagrees-about-billy-dont-be-a-hero-help/327650/15 "2005-10-24T14:32:58Z")
Oh, and the Star Trek thing too. Shatner was on Howard this morning and, as often happens on that show, he and Howard were discussing decency, censorship and associated issues. It occured to me that the moral code on Star Trek always seems to match the moral code of the time of its first popularity. Really, I swear, that did occur to me. ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-disagrees-about-billy-dont-be-a-hero-help/327650/16 "2005-10-24T14:35:14Z")
I agree with those who say “soldier blues” is a Civil War reference it was meant to be an allegory for Vietnam ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-disagrees-about-billy-dont-be-a-hero-help/327650/17 "2005-10-24T14:38:06Z")
> [@anyrose](#): > > I agree with those who say “soldier blues” is a Civil War reference > it was meant to be an allegory for Vietnam Ah! HA! I knew I was sort of right. I mean, really, how un-Civil War-like to tell someone _not_ to be a hero or fool with his life. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-disagrees-about-billy-dont-be-a-hero-help/327650/18 "2005-10-24T15:25:43Z")
The Night Chicago Died plays only slightly more often than Billy Don’t be a Hero on Radio Hell. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-disagrees-about-billy-dont-be-a-hero-help/327650/19 "2005-10-24T16:54:01Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > I always felt it was about the Civil War, too. > > Oh, wait, I’m from the South, make that War of Northern Aggression. 😃 I believe, Sir, you mean the Southern Insurrection. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-disagrees-about-billy-dont-be-a-hero-help/327650/20 "2005-10-24T16:56:08Z")
> [@Dr. Rieux](#): > > I believe, Sir, you mean the Southern Insurrection. 😃 How dare you, Suh! Oh, Beauregard, come heah, boy! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-disagrees-about-billy-dont-be-a-hero-help/327650.md?page=2)