Billy Don't Be A Hero

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

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Billy, don't be a hero-, 
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don't be a fool with your life----
<-3 <-3   <-3  -3 3 <-3 <-3
Billy--, don't be a hero---, 
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come back and make me your wife----
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And as he started to go--,
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She said Billy keep your head low-----
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Billy, don't be a he---ro, come back to me-------.

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

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She said
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Billy, don't be a hero-, 
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don't be a fool with your life----
<-3 <-3   <-3  -3 3 <-3 <-3
Billy--, don't be a hero---, 
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come back and make me your wife----
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And as he started to go--,
<-3  4   -5 -5  -5   4   <-3  <5 4 <-3 
She said Billy keep your head low-----
-3 -3    -3  3 -2 -3 3 3   <-3   -3  3  3 -3 3 -2
Billy, don't be a he---ro, come back to me-------.

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