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From: fritz5134
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  • This song brings back many memory,s of school disco,s and a rather buxom girlfriend of the time, great song and im still friends with the girl

    

  • The key is too high for him

  • @stephenhad Who cares, it a good song?

  • Damn I forgot this great song it reminds me the high school times when oi used to listen this watching the star... great memories

  • My Mummy sang this all the time! Her voice is beautiful and it always made me cry!! I have never heard the proper one but I still know every word!

  • Song is a piece of shit. The soldier blues line is a reference to union soldiers during the war of northern aggression. As far as I'm concerned every dead yankee soldier is a good yankee.

  • @DonnyShort1 RIGHT ON! Poor, misguided tools of the international bankers even then and the evildoers are still at it. BILLY DON"T BE A TOOL!

  • Great song, it was huge here in Aus when I was a kid. We had a Billy in our class at primary school he copped a lot of flack because of this song lol.

  • I spent my teenage years in Australia and this song was huge there! :)

  • Beautiful music

  • I'm only 18, and in the back of my mind, I remember listening to this song with either my mom or my granddad, and I'm in love with it, and always have been. 

  • NOTTINGHAM'S most successful pop band, Paper Lace..My Home land...<3

  • Thanks for posting. So many people forget that Paper Lace was the original group to perform this song.

  • Why would anyone want to cover a crappy song like this one?

  • Shame they're wearing the blue and not the gray...

  • the original is better

  • @IndustrialCOMMIE This IS the original. Bo Donaldson is the cover

  • @elhefe001 THANKS FOR THE CORRECTION

  • He lost a tooth

  • I think this version is better than the Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods version that hit number one here.

  • when they find me dead- it was death by the military microwwave machine the monster of all monsters - god bless

  • shivers down my spine, a great song

  • omg wake me up, brilliant stuff

  • A great song and Band will never go out of style, I could never get enough of this song and it made me a bit weepy, silly I know, but such a great song! And an equally great Band, who are very easy on the eye :)

  • i'm 13, but i love this song<33

  • I love this song.

  • Great Video THANKS !!!

  • talk about a one hit fucking wonder haha

  • I find it funny how when i was nipper, me granddad told me this song but he talked it to me as a story. Then only a few weeks back i heard this played at me college and i was like; this song rings a bell. Only yesterday i realized it was the song me granddad told me :P

  • OMG! Totally forgot about how great this song is! My friends and I would be blasting and singing along to this song all throughout our high school years (Courtesy of the Priscilla Soundtrack!)

  • @klimber1000 AHAHAAAAAAAAAAA

  • 8weeks at #1 around the week i was born!

  • that does this video mean that are the lyrics meaning?

  • genuine question: the secondary volcals, is that a male or female? lol soz about the question.

  • @chevyvictor Male, silly ;)

  • played this record when we went on our first on Ireland??

  • Remember this from my childhood, still sounds good today, i think they also done one called "the night chicago died"

  • I used to have the album many years ago. The band was dressed up like '30's gangsters, complete with pinstripe suits and machine guns. Awesome! LOL

  • Are these guys British or American rock group?

  • @mrgeorge7196 the band was from england a little place called NOTTINGHAM

  • @sleepercatcher Interesting aBritish group singing about old american artifacts and dressing in civill war outfits.

  • the drummer is quite cute lol (teeth aside)

  • Billy don't be a hero

  • I remember this on the show "Top of the pops" back in England when it came out. I was very young.

  • I was just out of high school when this was released!!!

  • I was 5 when this came out....I feel young. 

  • Bo who? I lived in the UK at the time and this is the original. Paper Lace were on a talent show and this was their winning song. Just like Man About the House was copied for Three's Company and Steptoe and Son were copied for Sanford and Son, a lot of UK pop culture as "adapted' for US consumption.

  • the first record I ever got given aged 8 :D

  • @watchdog1964

    me too, i was aged 6 :-)

  • @watchdog1964 had you mis-behaved before your birthday or something

  • 7 at the time, great to be able to listen to the tunes when our parents were having fun, Priceless!

  • Am I the only one who thinks this was an early Steve Coogan spoof!!!!!...Surely the drummer is an early incarnation of the Italian singer Tony whatever.......he's a dead ringer!

  • This was my favourite song when I was around 9 :) I used to listen to it with my Dad in the car.

    I'm 16 now and I still love sitting on the sofa with my Dad and listening to the oldies music that my parents own X3

  • my son billy was in the army an a yous to sing this to him on the phone god bless hime and all billy came back to me xxx

    

  • after 12 years i can finally say friends send me here.

  • i loved this when i was ten ! thanks great memories

  • Man, does this song take me back!!!!!!!

  • of course they're better than Justin Bibier, Shakira, Katty Perry, Lady Gaga; and more "singers"

  • Think this was the first record on 7' I ever bought!! I was born in 64!! Cracking song still ha ha. Thank God for You Tube

  • oo the memories,lol

    

  • loved this as a kid growing up in the 70's

  • THIS WAS YEAR MY MUM DIED MY BROTHER LOVED THIS HE WAS 10 AND I WAS 12

  • mimed ?

  • Clarification: When I said that the Bo version was the hit, I meant in the US. This version did well in the UK, bot not in the US.

  • This IS the paper lace version of the song, not the Bo Donaldson version. The Bo Donaldson version was the hit. This version did not go very far. You can tell the difference in some of the words, and somewhat in the notes they sing (some are different between the versions). BTW: you have the lyrics from the Bo version, not the P.L. version. P.L. sings "Keep your pretty head low," while Bo sings "Billy, keep your head low."

  • The love of my life is a former Marine, yeah I know, once a Marine always a Marine, anyway I was born in 59, he was born in 61, we Met in 2011.... he was 50 and I was almost 52; he ended up being the love of my life; and his name was Bill; so this song is very fitting. He passed away on 10-19-11; so...Thank you for reading my message. Semper Fi my friends, and always thank a soldier for your freedom!!!

  • @valarie929billie108 hear hear !!

  • I was 3 yrs old when i'd saved enough money to buy the single!!! Kinda pertinent song now tho i think!

  • Oh. Dear. Lord. I remember them all..but how that can be, I am only..er...29!!

  • his sooooooooooooooooooooo sexiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!

  • same as 23dior23, was only 2 when that song was out, but love it from childhood memories

  • very hard to drum and be a lead singer, this is great.

  • old is gold:-)

  • I owned this vinyl single when I was younger and it was credited "Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods"-For sure.

  • god bless all our heroes

  • This isn't Paper Lace. It is Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods.

  • @jcheape -- Take a look at the bass drum (shown at the end of the song).  It clearly says "Paper Lace" on it.

  • I always thought this was a Vietnam song. It was an American Civil War song. (north-Billy Yank, south Johnny Yank). Which is odd, because Paper Lace is a Brit band. They should be singing about Tories, Roundheads and War of the Roses. @Klimber1000--socialized meds. Brits don't get their teeth fixes like Yanks do.

  • @marilisa616 I meant Johnny Reb.

    

  • I was twelve when this on came out. I bought the album and drove my folks nukin futs!

  • i sang this in 6th grade choir

  • I remember this song when I was a little girl and for some reason it just pop into my head the other day so I had to hear it. I remember all them Billy Jack movies they were good movies

  • The singer looks like a picture i've seen on Cops or Americas most wanted.lolJK,JK,.for fans.lol..Growing up in the early 70's was a blast

  • Oh to be 14 again

    

  • @klimber1000 never noticed that in 74..mind you back then I don't think people were so obsessed with looks and teeth that are whiter than they were ever meant to be !! lol

  • @chockycake1 PLUS it helped him whistle... ;^)

  • @GRRXtreme True!!! :-) This soo takes me back..we used to skive off games to listen to this on the 'record player' .Very happy memories :-)

  • @chockycake1 ...i'm not so sure it was the time, as much as it was that they were english... from engle-land...(austin powers?)

  • @compvm33 I just like the song and I was a soppy teenager :-)

  • @chockycake1 i see now that your from the uk and i'm really embarrassed....i was just making a joke...i'm sure your teeth are quite lovely, as are everyone's in the uk... :-)

  • @compvm33 LOL I haven't take any offence ;-)

  • @compvm33 All one of them.

  • @chockycake1 And so the search for klimber1000's comment begins!

  • so true you got it spot on hancar

  • BUENA MUSICA PARA ESCUCHAR Y RECORDAR BUENOS TIEMPOS

  • A Civil War disco song.. <3<3

  • I am reminded of the daily casualty reports that did not end until 30 April 1975, and somehow it does not seem that life was so easy for some...

  • quality track, shite but brilliant

  • They are still performing !

  • @B52sguy

    Are you from the future? It's still 2011.

  • my my my

  • Still the most moving song that depicts the futility of war and the ramifications of loving a person who served our country. Just beautiful still at almost forty years later. A true metaphor for the problems of today, Sept. 28, 2012.

    Joseph F

    Portland, OR USA

  • great song from the nottingham boys wonder where they are now?..used to see carlo santana.(.next to drummer )..around the northern club scene in the late 70s was very popular...

  • Such a sad song... I remember this song when I was a little girl

  • @23dior23 Me too! I used to be so upset that Billy wasn't smart enough to keep his head down and come back home to his fiance. Of course I got older and realized he was being heroic and serving his country.... but still!

  • I was named after this song, thank god its a good tune :)

  • what a great song !!!

  • the guys are still out there giging, based in nottingham

  • just beautiful. used to listen to this on a old 8 track player of my brothers i was seven, im 43 now, christ were did the years go....

  • Candy u even made me depressed hearing that story

  • Top stuff. From the old Aussie.

  • My name is billy,hated this song...lol..dont now though,special memories...

  • no worries now billy

  • I listened to this song umteen times, know word for word and and still cry....love it !!!!

  • I used to listen to this LP over and over LOL...i still love them!

  • Remember this

  • wow, didn't remember their voices that pretty!!

  • I used to LOVE hearing this song (and The Night Chicago Died) on the radio. Thanks for posting!

  • @ssblklyn Yes, me too --- loved both of those songs at the time.

  • don't care what anybody sezzz...I always thought that this song was pretty good, and this version of it is super-groovy with the Civil War get-ups !! (and these guys could actually sing and play, which I haven't seen much of in today's "musicians")

  • when i was little i used to ask my mum what the worst song in the world was, and she'd always sing me this song, and now i love it because of how cheesy it is! :)

  • sweet memories mmmmh

  • FARB.

  • I never understood how someone can play drums and sing at the same time. Too many things to think about.

  • @tryithere Ever heard of Phil Collins & Genesis lol

  • @43snowy I never said I haven't seen it before. There are a number of them.

  • official paper lace twitter - @paperlaceband - please follow us?

  • Man, I hadn´t heard this in 40 years....takes me back to my small room, my am radio, and me...just waiting for my favorite songs to come on.

  • I miss the 70's

  • @J170Owner I havent,but theres an old bloke round the corner from me,who's got one in his garage,unused from the 90s.

    We could have it back before he's noticed its gone?

  • ...umm, never mind...

  • This was Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods, knucklehead. Paper Lace, another one hit wonder, did "The Night Chicago Died".

  • @Robocoop2011 robocoop, you're right, it's always been Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods, but why is Paper Lace on the drumset???

  • @Robocoop2011 Unbelievable...I just checked out "The Night Chicago Died"...same guys!

  • ahh the memories,,life was so simple then

  • epic dry ice smoke

  • I know and love this song very well,and vaguely remember this clip from the day,except it is now in colour!.

    I am left wondering though why this film is perfectly preserved,whilst so many others of the time, and much later have not fared so well!

  • SPOILER: If she'd really loved him, she would have kept the letter.

  • I love this song but the first time I heard it I was living in England. The first 1/2 of the 70's was spent in confusion moving from England to America then back and forth. Then the 2nd 1/2 was spent being beaten and ignored. The only thing that kept me sane was the music of that time, especially disco.

  • what can u say , so many brill memories.

  • awww man! he died. holy fuck

  • so did both paper lace and Bo Donaldson both sing this in the 70's im confused

  • @amznasian Yes. Paperlace must have been gutted. They'd already had a number in the States, then this went huge in the UK, and they were preparing to release it in the U.S., when the weaker (in my opinion) Bo Donaldson song was rushed out and went straight to number one. Paperlace would have been HUGE if not. Ouch.

  • i was nine and i remember being fascinated by the lyrics and the power of them along with the music. And that whistling. Surely the best whistling in a song since that one about The bridge Over The River Kwai

  • Damn i wish i was born in the 70's, kids my age don't appreciate this music :(

  • Where's the like button???????

  • Great song,I know cliff fish who was one of the guitars

  • 8 ppl were fools with their life.

    Great song!

  • It almost sounds like Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods version.

  • At 1:50, does he say EXCREMENT?

  • @tharper1961

    No, he says "extra men." ("...I need a volunteer to ride out and bring us back some extra men...")

  • @tharper1961 Would have been funny if he had. Billy would have replied "What the hell for, we're in it up to our necks as it is!" XD LOL.

    Kidding, this is actually a favourite song of mine. :-)

  • i have theory that the bands in the 70s took all the good music leaving nothing for the present day bands

  • what a decade the 70,s was..much better than the shit we have to put up with ...a country full of blacks & foreign parasites high cost of liveing etc etc what more can i say

  • @mrtoptenatten theres lazy fuckers

  • First record i ever bought!

  • i so remember this song it was the bees knees it was bought for my birthday haha when i was a kid

  • @gallan947 It was Paper Lace's song. The song became a hit in the UK and before they could debut it in America Bo Donaldson covered the song where it then became a hit for them

  • This was the very first record my mum and dad bought for me, I was 5 ! He He

  • fantastic bunch of lads had the pleasure of staying with them one night in 77

  • Fantastic group so many memories sad they broke up

  • So was this song Bo Donaldson or Paper Lace's ?

  • @gallan947

    Paper Lace released the original, got to #1 in the UK, Bo Donaldson released a cover shortly afterwards, it got to #1 in the USA. The song was written by two british songwriters Mitch Murray and Peter Callander, check wikipedia for more info.

  • The damn 70's! Cocaine is a helluva drug.

  • shot away

  • and my name is dan costello

  • Memories of cruzzing in early 70's Ford (made in USA) station wagon.

    I am blessed to have been born in the 60's.

    Hang in there today's youth. It has to get better.

  • I love how they're all in Union suits. Because Paper Lace were so very, very American.

  • Takes me back to when I was eleven growing up in Carrick-on-Suir with no worries. I remember there was a fairground visiting Carrick on the Fair Green, where they used to play this song a lot among all the amusements. That and 'The Night Chicago Died'. Ah, nostalgia. Bittersweet.