Bo Donaldson - Billy Don't Be A Hero

[radconserv86]

selfish bitch!



[adonis2112]

They shamelessly stole this song from English band Paper Lace. Surprised that they got away with it. Great song though.

[musicluvr1974]

Two days after my brother and I were born--but it still counts as the same week, I guess... *sigh* I hate this song...!

[corbettdavidmark]

this was the number one song when i was born...

[rurugby]

The #1 song when I was born on June 23, 1974

[BuckeyeSecretary]

Does anyone know where all the original members are now? I was in love with the lead singer--I know they are from Cincinnati

[darrenmuse]

This song is so retarded, it's appalling.

[hotdog2020]

@darrenmuse When the war was going on people were pissed. Music was our voice for revolt and messages to the guys fighting. It was a life time ago unless you lived at the time through it hard to really understand.

[NixonIn2008]

@hotdog2020 : and yet if it wasn't for the war referenced in this song, you'd need a passport to go to Atlanta. Whether that'd be a good thing or a bad thing is up in the air perhaps, but the point is clear -- sometimes wars have to be fought.

[Triggitius]

I was born eighteen years after this song released, and I can still respect its complete awesomeness.

[FTWEVERYONE]

I always figured THIS song was about the CIVIL WAR? Anyone know Different?

[hotdog2020]

@FTWEVERYONE Vietnam war. One of the many protest songs of that time

[FTWEVERYONE]

@hotdog2020 The first line in the song is "The soldier Blues" a UNION Civil War Army term.

[TimmyAndTammyScumbag]

Yo, he borrowed that jacket from Elvis.

[emspirit]

Did those outfits go to number 1 or just the song?

[classie60]

Anybody have Bo donaldson & the Heywoods singing "OUR LAST SONG TOGETHER"..?..They did a great version of it.

[jccoolisback]

who DIDN'T like this 70s song??? I can't believe 74 dislikes...oh yeah, this is the hip-hip/club generation...like THAT'S music?!

[StinkyPubicFatPad]

they all smell of sweaty, pissy crotch creases then they went in the bathroom touched each others buttholes and everyone smelled their fingers that is known as playing stink finger

[TimmyAndTammyScumbag]

@StinkyPubicFatPad Classic.

[MrUNITEDTiLLiDIE]

its hard to take this song seriously when you watch them perform it

[edwardLRS]

He makes an incredibly stupid face when he sings.

[martyburbank]

I remember seeing them life at Knots Berry Farm in Buena Park. I had the 45 and played it till it wore out. I was about 11 years old.

[sasockseeker]

wow, i miss the days of the camel toe!!!

[carbonfiberfan]

wow that was fucking terrible!

[woobiefuntime]

I Guess ill have billys fiancee after he gets shot.

[MmeLEnfer]

@woobiefuntime I think she'd be pretty old by now - it's about the civil war

[woobiefuntime]

@MmeLEnfer i love them old

[nualawalsh98]

My mother raised me with this music <3

[davidw624624]

what was the name of the song on side b of this 45? I think I liked that song better than this one. I still have all my old 45's at my moms house

[david510152025303540]

Wow Love those times. So much fun

[JALtheImpaler]

I liked this song as it was a song a kid at 9 years old would enjoy as much as older folks.

Too bad this video has such bad synching of the video and the music.

[TheFantasticals]

Do the words "Billy Don't Be A Hero" mean anything to you?

[honeypie327]

great tune..thanks for sharing!

[agiantman]

The singer appears to be singing a completely different song here. Either this a technical glitch or the worst lip synching in history.

[Kaylawrites]

love this song and im 18 ha, loved it since i can remember

[cannibalconnor]

...Fuck me...

[Earthofdarkness]

You think with all that money he made with this song he could get rid of those nasty facial expressions -.-

[Simon4642]

@Earthofdarkness well if my pants where that tight......

[texasnelsons1]

My aunt graduated high school in a small town in East Texas of 13 students. Six of the boys went to Vietnam... only 1 came back. So while this song may seem cheesy to some, it is all too real to others.

[alan30189]

Gotta get the video and audio in sync, dillwads.

[MrDuece3]

dont hate on the soldiers if u gotta hate direct towards politicians elsewise shut your hole bout us fighting forces commie

[rmworthem]

I still love this song.

[MrVeesworld]

Wow I am suddenly thrusted back to the 3rd grade with this one.Damn I am old!!!!

[joeluis98]

Dude is playing four, I repeat, four keyboards!

[cagv818]

Ross referenced this song on the Pilot?

[LisaLisa1960]

I feel like I am watching a Japanese Video it's not in Sync . LoL

[lilpamiss]

I was 9 when this song came out. I loved to tease my brother about this song still do his name is Bill but I will always call him Billy

[taypar11]

A very good bubble gum song. it's amazing how events of our lives spawn songs and they that era goes away. This song, Tie a Yellow Ribbon and the 1966 tune by Sgt. Barry Sadler called Green Beret were all about the Vietnam war. Now there are no songs about the wars of today. Why? I guess we are less attatched to each other than we were back then because we have so many new diversions such as computers and i-pods and other electronics.

[acdeucee]

We certainly can use a Hero in our lives...No one as wonderful as Billy. But We all have a Billy somewhere in our hearts. Thanks

[Gnostic88]

my dads friend used to sing this song to him cept it would be "billy dont be a homo" (dads name was billy.)

[libraladyish]

paper lace's version is far better

[themightycelestial]

Oh Billy, why you'd have to be a hero?

Why, Billy?! WHY?!!?

[creccy]

comment on this ???? Bo Donaldson who?????? stick with the paper lace version much better.

[JoeAnthony1963]

Bo...ummmmmm.....whats with the 20 member marching band...great tune...but really Bo....dont be a singer

[TMouse2007]

Respect the Rickenbacker bass, baby!

[gogomountain]

This version is better than the version by Paper Lace. This one has better harmonies, and the vocals have more intensity/soul.

[hellosquire]

Got here from the Reservoir Dogs Soundtrack. Song's not on the soundtrack, but it's mentioned by the radio DJ.

[jranner]

67 people can't be a hero.

[adhchopper]

Well.... It's better than listening to Ke$ha...

[juansihi]

I t sounds sooooo Goooooddddd!!!!!!. i don't remember when I heard this hit. Was it played in the mid't 70's??.

[BrandonTxOthor]

@juansihi I remember listening to this song on the radio in 1970-because my friend Olga would sing it to our classmate named Billy- completely embarrassing him-small trivia Olga's parents were from Russia-as an adult I know wonder how did they leave Russia? Sorry I'm rambling in the past.

[wafflelust]

Why does he need a volunteer to bring him some excrement?

[tryby12]

do you remember when this song was number 1 in 1974 ?

[CoreaKixx420]

@tryby12 yes indeed...I was just graduating from grade 8 in Lambeth, On. and starting work at a gas bar beside Seven Dwarfs resturant on hwy #2/wharncliffe rd. outside London, On. Little known fact...there were more #1 songs on the Billboard pop chart in 1974 than any other single year since Billboard began charting. 35 in all.

[greenroadster]

@tryby12 No.

[Freyja1133]

@tryby12 I Do..I was 11 1/2

[seganone]

@tryby12 on the other side of my 45 was the night chicago died

[TypesALot]

@tryby12 - I certainly do! I was 9 years old and it was on the radio all the time. For many years I thought it was about the Vietnam War, but it was actually about the Civil War. Great song, great summer memories.

[kja427]

@TypesALot It would have been appropriate for The Vietnam War; That truly was an illegetimate war for us to get into. Sort of like The Iraq War today.

[TheTIMWING]

@kja427 sort of like your agenda seems completely silly....sort of like. You are probably one of those "children of the Baby Boomer Generation" that has all the answers. The Song is what this is about, not some sort of political commentary!

[sneeyize45]

@tryby12 I do. I was 10 years old and riding my bicycle around New Port Richey, FL that summer and this was out about the time everyone was making bets as to when President Nixon was either going to resign or be convicted and impeached out of office.

[alun74]

@tryby12 June 15 - June 22

[LeftCoastGator]

I can imagine the band when they saw that outfit: "Ha! Dude, you look like an ASSHOLE. What? We ALL have to wear that? Shit."

[Johnnywhamo]

Nice little slice of 1970's cheese.

[metalghost7]

Ahhh! Whenever I am playing Resident Evil Zero as Billy, my father is always singing the line "Billy, don't be a hero!" Hah!

[CroPride100]

you can tell he isnt really singin it

[bjbuschman2]

@CroPride100 yes he is it's just the audio and video don't match that technology back then is'nt as good as today.

[Vindrutetorkaren]

Walk Hard got me here.

[whiteboy7931]

Those outfits are "SLAMMIN'"  I LOVE THEM!

[rkw92262]

wow...whatta FIND, this...xlnt. T/Y

[CastaicCowgirl]

This brings back such memories. I actually saw them live in the 70's and I still love them. As for stoogemaniac's comments-shut your a** up since that's obviously where you're talking out of. If we want more s**t out of you we'll squeeze your head, moron!!

[nihonjinonnanochitsu]

@CastaicCowgirl I WAS GROPING MY 13 YR OLD SISTER BACK IN THE DAY WHEN THIS WAS PLAYING ON THE RADIO.. BRING BACK THIS SONG TO THE RADIO AND LET ME TAKE A PATH DOWN MEMORY LANE AND GROPE MY SISTER... HEY, WHAT ARE SISTERS FOR? TO PRACTICE YOUR SEXUAL MOVES

[altoids79762]

@nihonjinonnanochitsu rofl

[Nickcat5]

@CastaicCowgirl I'm curious;Who's 'WE"?

[stoogemaniac]

This song may have the dubious honor of being the Worst AM Radio Hit Ever. It just exudes lameness. That lousy synthesizer riff must have been added by the producer because "everyone was using a synthesizer". To keep a serious face that vocalist must have been thinking about all the money we was getting from teenyboppers spending their allowances on 45 RPM records. And those outfits... the band should have been renamed The Flying Elvises. The whole band looks like a gay cloning experiment.

[Nickcat5]

@stoogemaniac If it wasn't the worst,It was surely in the TOP FIVE. Besides being stupid,It was entirely too upbeat considering the story line.

[Alikah1]

@Nickcat5 Other candidates: SIMON SAYS by the 1910 Fruitgum Company, also YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY & CHEWY CHEWY by the Ohio Express!

[Nickcat5]

@Alikah1 Yea,but that was a different genre' of music at a different time. Stupid,But at least fun. 'Billy' was just stupid!

[Alikah1]

@Nickcat5 I feel pretty sure that the writer of this song meant it as nothing more than a vehicle to show disrespect for Richard Nixon.

[Surftouka]

@Alikah1-actually song was written about the American Civil War and not Vietnam War-which most assume because song came out in 1974. But this goes out to all the "Billys" in all wars and to the loved ones back home who waited their news.

[21DelphiDr]

Childhood memories... I wish i could still hear my mother sing this to me.

Billy

[donpazer]

@freyja1133 ... maybe it WAS this version. it was SO long ago....

but I can still feel the summer air while I was listening to this song

back then on my little transistor radio. :)

[julielu61]

This reminds me of my cousin who died in Viet Nam. Stepped on a land mine. He was a hero! And his name was Billy. RIP sweet cousin.

[donpazer]

this song was a huge hit in the 70s......but NOT this version.

[Freyja1133]

@donpazer IN the US This was a number one record this veresion

[10hab]

@donpazer both versions were very successful just depends on your taste

[4evereden61]

@donpazer it was these guys singing the hit from the 70's. I have the 45 and their albums.

[powerkor]

heywood jablome

[TheLouis1992]

I like mum's version better.

[Lexsosaurius567]

so good this song, do you now the this song was made for the soldiers who was in the war. by the way it's an amazing song

[themightycelestial]

I once tried wearing an outfit like that.

I almost died.

I guess that's what I get for trying to be a hero.

[Sargethemedic1]

What many don't know, this is a Civil War era song. It obviously plays well in any war era. We all KNEW it was a Viet Nam song. We all were wrong.

[sunshinemags]

The version made by Paper Lace in 1974 is better than this!

[mrsgstd]

@sunshinemags Agreed. Paper Lace's version is better and they did it originally. Since they are a British group I wonder if the song really does take place during the Civil War? The video of Paper Lace performing it show's them dressed up in old uniforms but being British would tend to rule out the Civil War. At least the American Civil War. How did someone come to the conclusion it was a Civil War era song?

[Freyja1133]

@mrsgstd It does

[GoldenKnight422]

Ahhh I love this song. But as for the performance either the singer sucks at lip syncing or the audio is off .

[61Slughi]

Poor Billy, didn't listen to his girlfriend and got himself killed. She told him to keep his head low!

[LivingMindfully1975]

I want a jump suit like these!!!

[Thrive7]

I too have a cousin who was in the Vietnam war. He was hit by a North Vietnamese sniper, but thankfully survived!

[pg1171]

Video for a different song! Good job singing, but it's the wrong video!

[lol798]

@pg1171 if you put the audio about 1/2 second before video starts, it will match

[husky500cr]

I think the collar on his jump suit should be bigger than it is.

[knightsbb]

I'd had many cousins... Brothers... friends in Vietnam.

This song has great meaning. I'll always remember the men and women

who have served our great nation. God Bless the USA !

[MidwestMcKenzies]

I remember driving my Uncle's 4020 John Deere in 1974 through the field discing and rotary hoeing with the big black box radio on the right fender turned all the way up to hear it over the tractor. They played this song it seemed like every tenth song.....lol

[MidwestMcKenzies]

I remember driving my Uncle's 4020 John Deere through the field discing and rotary hoeing with the big black box radio on the right fender turned all the way up to hear it over the tractor. They played this song it seemed like every tenth song.....lol

[denniswilsonfan]

not taking anything away from these guys but I make that same face in the bathroom. emotion is one thing, but he looks constipated lol.

[vivezsans]

The drummer realizes he's on camera at around 1:05. It's so CUTE!!!!!

[fromwilliams]

Billy's masters shouldnt have sent him to invade other peoples countries.The moral of the story is you look like a fool and end up dead.

If only our Politicians had to fight...maybe then we would see more protection for our troops.

[Tuxster3]

Cute, cute cute!

I'm a gay boy, but I have to say, I would have LOVED to have had a threesome with HIM and DAVID CASSIDY!

[toriElena]

hahahaha! 3rd grade listening on the school bus radio...this is so cheesy. LONG LIVE POLYESTER! ROFLMAO

[cocoshamoco]

ahaha my dad has this in record form i always play it on the record player and im 14 ahaha

[MrLaylo2769]

support our forces... always.

[daymude63]

call 'em whatcha want, they're cute!!

[hamslice151]

LOL fags

[sk8tergirl7251]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOVE THIS SONG!!!

[NeverShoutChelkie]

this song makes me really sad

my boyfriends name is billy and he's going into the army.

:P

[zeegaucheboy]

These sorts of jumpsuits were a tradition in country music way before Elvis. Rockabilly, which preceded rock and roll, added blues influences to Euro-American folk. Elvis's look and music came out of this. P.S. Liberace???

[Lobodomy69]

@sillygrammagirl Yes thank you for killing people over lies. You're keeping us safe by fighting a million miles away. Sorry, i don't mean any disrespect to soldiers, but it is pretty useless.

[WytZox1]

@Lobodomy69 -- So right you are! We lost the war in Vietnam but the domino theory was a lie. The commies took over South Vietnam but it did not lead to communism taking over the world. 1000s of our troops died in Nam for absolutely nothing. I respect those who served but will never forgive the politicians who sent them there. This is a great anti-war song. A hero in a losing war is nothing to be proud of.

[tmtv633]

@WytZox1 Really? Really? If someone dies in a lost war we cannot be proud of their deeds? Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce, William Travis of the Alamo, Stonewall Jackson of the CSA, 17th Lancers of the Crimean War, countless German and French soldiers in WW2? Really? Are you that blind or just stupid?

[WytZox1]

@tmtv633 -- I was merely commenting on what I felt the message of the song was, particularly the part about Billy's girlfriend throwing the letter away. She probably felt sadness and anger rather than pride. Sure you have the right to feel proud of those you may've lost in a war. You also have the right to feel anger or sadness especially if you feel they died for nothing and that's not being blind or stupid.

[jimbrown257]

This is the most comical lip-syncing I have ever seen. The way Bo twists his jaw reminds me of the way Stalone yells in Rambo 2 when he's shooting stuff from the helicopter..

[grandmomrock]

@jimbrown257 That is not Bo singing...

[4evereden61]

@grandmomrock no, it is not Bo singing

, it is Mike. Bo is on keyboards

[Freyja1133]

@4evereden61 I love Mike Gibbons' voice on this osng ! Wasn;t he BAdfingers drumer before this?

[daytraderfbf]

Was this song about Vietnam?

[8cmn]

@daytraderfbf I believe it was actually about the Civil War, but any war really works for it.

[daytraderfbf]

@8cmn I heard that too and considering when it was song and in the song it said "I need a volunteer to RIDE up and get extra men."

Soldier Blues I heard from some. referred to Union solders. It can also have referred to marines.

[jimbrown257]

@daytraderfbf

It was supposedly about the Civil War but it was really about the Vietnam war. When things, like movies or songs, happen during or soon after the war they are really about, they often claim it is about a different war because the war that is still going on is too touchy a subject for many people.

One of the best examples is the movie M.A.S.H that was claimed to be about the Korean War but everyone knew it was really about Vietnam.

[ThePaddyjoejr1]

@jimbrown257 No, Not MASH, China Beach was about Viet Nam.

[jimbrown257]

@ThePaddyjoejr1

While the movie and TV show M.A.S.H. took place during the Korean War, it was really an allegory for Vietnam used to comment on the beauracracies and other absurdities. Robert Altman has said he choose not to use the actual Vietnam War as the setting because it was still too close to home for many people.

I'm reading the book Alias Grace right now where the author did the same thing; she used a murder story from 1850 as an allagory for a murder that had just happened.

[finny505]

I loved this song so much when I was 10 years old - thanks for the memories.

[88Willhur]

The music and his mouth aren't doing the same thing.

[Potts132]

@88Willhur Sync is off

[JIMMYAD46]

ANY IDEA WHAT YEAR THIS WAS AND WHAT SHOW.

[1belladiva1]

I don't believe they tried to imitate Elvis. That was the "in thing" at the time.

[yourdickis2limp]

These guys wre a suck ass one hit wonder group.Bo Donaldson admitted years after this song hit the charts that he only became a singer to get close to many male/born again bisexual Rock R Rollers to perform anal cunnilingas and group felatio on.

[shuchr]

paper lace far superior

[OtisVision]

Your sync sucks

[motelcalifornia]

Clinton, don't be a hero, don't be a fool all your life

[kenmackow]

vangard213 doesn't know Diddley. And I don't mean Bo!

[Nedsdag]

When I was a kid, I thought this song was about the Vietnam War. I didn't realize it was about the Civil War.

[rightfredsdead]

the marching band came walking down burnley. PSCOs were wiping up behind. i looked across and there i saw billy. waiting to sign up for afgahnistan. across his shoulder his giro lay. his baggy tracksuit was plain grey. and where i stood i saw it was primark. and on the back is said... it said "billy dont be a hero" cash that giro and lets do some hot knives. billy dont be a hero. come back with an 1/8th for tonight.

[belladeballe]

I remember my friends and I wrote a take off on this song: "we heard his fiance got a letter of how billy lived that day. the letter said he was pregnant. she should wonder how he got that way..." LOL

[Snagglefratz]

Funny you should say that, HortHawg. My wife and I nominated this the worst song ever many years ago. Watching it makes me wish that I was there with a rotten tomato. Billy, don't be a SPLAT! This song redefines sucking.

[HortHawg]

One of the all-time worst bands ever performing one of the all-time worst songs ever.

[rollerman22]

paperlace is much better

[webkinzlover1936]

I'm under my neice's account, so please excuse the screen name. @flowerMZ3.....I saw it! LMFAO.....its like hes the ONE singing to this "Billy person".

[flowerMZ3]

did you see the lead singer's face???? i mean, i absolutely love the song but I just oculdnt stop laughing at it!

[unorthodoxmuse]

First album I ever owned in my life!

[MrSluggo666]

@unorthodoxmuse eeeeewwwwww!!

[rboonie1]

go the South

[rboonie1]

go the South :)

[rboonie1]

go the South :)

[ucladodgerdog]

Baba Booey

[a51hawks]

ANOTHER 58 R.A.P. LOVERS, poor losers, don't know real music, something that can make you feel good.

[akear]

The best trash song ever. This is a song that people don't admit to liking. You have to admit it is catchy.

[kjmg65]

I was 9 in 1974, what a different time than the present, I would love to rewind and be young again

[Mrgbarb]

@kjmg65 yeah i was 7 then.. sometimes I wish I could go back in time just for the music.. I miss them days

[brendalg4]

The reason it seems to be badly lip synced is that the captions are put up BEFORE he sings the line.

I saw them on Dinah but I don't think this is the same show... they did House On Telegraph Hill and Heartbreak Kid. I don't remember them doing Billy.

[JCrocksAwesomeness]

i LOVE this song. me and my dad used to listen to it all tje time when i was little.

[tdJagger]

that's top 5 of the worst songs ever !! even worse than "we built this city on rock'n roll

and drumer looks like rabbit xD