Billy, Don't Be A Hero

by Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods
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Lyrics

The march ing band came (C7)down a long Main street, the sol dier blues fell in be hind.

I looked a cross and (C7)there I saw Bil ly, wait ing to go and join the line.

And with her head up (C7)on his shoul der,

his young and love ly (C7)fi an cée,

from where I stood I (C7)saw she was cry ing, and through her tears I (C)heard her say; She said, (F)Bil ly, don’t be a (Fmaj7)he ro, don’t be a (Gm)fool with your life.

(C7)Bil ly, don’t be a he ro, come back and (F)make me your wife.”

And as they start ed to go

she said, (Bb)“Bil ly, keep your head (Bbm)low.

(F)Bil ly, don’t be a (Bb)he ro, (C7)come back to (F)me.”

The sol dier blues were (C7)trapped on a hill side, the bat tle rag ing all a round.

The ser geant cried, “We’ve (C7)got to hang on, boys, we’ve got to hold this piece of ground.

I need a vol un (C7)teer to ride up

and bring us back some (C7)ex tra men.”

And Bil ly’s hand was (C7)up in a mo ment, for get ting all the (C)words she said.

She said, (F)Bil ly, don’t be a (Fmaj7)he ro, don’t be a (Gm)fool with your life.

(C7)Bil ly, don’t be a he ro, come back and (F)make me your wife.”

And as they start ed to go

she said, (Bb)“Bil ly, keep your head (Bbm)low.

(F)Bil ly, don’t be a (Bb)he ro, (C7)come back to (F)me.”

I heard she threw that (Gm7)let ter

a (F)way.

Billy, Don't Be A Hero — Easy Piano Notes for Beginners

1 person has learned this song

Learn "Billy, Don't Be A Hero" on piano with easy notes — perfect for absolute beginners. Large color-coded note names show exactly which keys to press. No music reading required. Key of Bb, 100 BPM.

Tip: Use the speed control to practice at 70% tempo first. Focus on tricky chord transitions before attempting the full arrangement.

About “Billy, Don't Be A Hero

Can I play "Billy, Don't Be A Hero" without reading sheet music?
Yes — Easy Notes mode prints the letter name (C, D, E…) directly on each note in big color-coded labels, so you can match colors to your keyboard without any traditional notation. The whole arrangement of "Billy, Don't Be A Hero" is playable in minutes, even for first-time players.
What key is "Billy, Don't Be A Hero" by Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods played in?
Billy, Don't Be A Hero is arranged in the key of Bb on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
What's the tempo (BPM) of "Billy, Don't Be A Hero"?
The arrangement plays at 100 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "Billy, Don't Be A Hero" easy to play on piano?
This is a medium-difficulty arrangement. Most players can learn it within a few practice sessions using the speed control.
Can I download sheet music for "Billy, Don't Be A Hero"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "Billy, Don't Be A Hero"?
"Billy, Don't Be A Hero" was originally performed by Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What chords are used in "Billy, Don't Be A Hero"?
This arrangement uses 11 chords: Bb, Bbm, Bbmaj7, C, C7, Dm7, F, F7, +3 more.
Can a complete beginner play "Billy, Don't Be A Hero"?
Absolutely! The Beginner mode shows large color-coded notes with letter names (C, D, E...). Just match the colors to your keyboard — no music reading needed. "Billy, Don't Be A Hero" is simplified for beginners.
Do I need to read music to play "Billy, Don't Be A Hero"?
No! Our Beginner mode replaces traditional notation with color-coded letter names. Each note shows exactly which key to press. You can start playing "Billy, Don't Be A Hero" in minutes, even if you've never touched a piano before.

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