Greetings all -
This past week we all read that the number of American soldiers did in the Iraq war reached 4000.
4000!
I could turn this post into a debate of why we are there and my opinions of the war, but out of respect for those 4000 who have sacrificed their life...I will not.
The song I picked for this week was considered an anti-war song when it came out, which was in 1974 and Vietnam was still going on, but the lyrics are really about soldiers going off to war and the people they left behind.
Written by Mitch Murry and Peter Callander, there were two almost simultaneous recordings of this song:
Paper Lace made it a hit in the UK and Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods went to #1 in the US.
It tells the tale of a young man signing up for the army and his young fiance telling him to be safe and "keep your head low" so that he can come back and marry her.
Well, since this song is on my Cheeze drippin's....You can kind of guess the outcome!
Here you have it:
Billy Don't Be a Hero
Written by:
Mitch Murry and Peter Callander
Performed by:
Paper Lace
or
Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods
(I'll let you choose which version you like better - but you gotta dig those 70's outfits!)
The marchin' band came down along Main Street
The soldier blues fell in behind
I looked across and there I saw Billy
Waiting to go and join the line
And with her head upon his shoulder
His young and lovely fiancee
From where I stood I saw she was cryin'
And through her tears I heard her say
Billy, don't be a hero, don't be a fool with your life
Billy, don't be a hero, come back and make me your wife
And as he started to go she said,
Billy, keep your head low
Billy, don't be a hero, come back to me
The soldier blues were trapped on a hillside
The battle raging all around
The sergeant cried, We've got to hang on, boys
We've got to hold this piece of ground
I need a volunteer to ride up
And bring us back some extra men
And Billy's hand was up in a moment
Forgettin' all the words she said
She said
Billy, don't be a hero, don't be a fool with your life
Billy, don't be a hero, come back and make me your wife
And as he started to go she said,
Billy, keep your head low
Billy, don't be a hero, come back to me
I heard his fiancee got a letter
That told how Billy died that day
The letter said that he was a hero
She should be proud he died that way
I heard she threw that letter away ...
Peace to all
Friday, March 28, 2008
Drippin' with Cheeze
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4 comments:
Ah, the Friday "Drippin' With Cheese" post has become a regular masochistic "pleasure", Shazza.
When I saw what you had dredged up for us this week I let out an involuntary "AAAUGH!", bringing curious colleagues over to see what had dismayed me so much.
They, in turn, wailed and groaned and this is now spreading throughout the building, together with snatches of "Billy …" and weeping.
HA!
I have wonderful visions of folks in your office humming this little tune for the rest of the day and then cursing because they can't get it out of their head!
My work here is done. (until next week!)
Thankfully, after commenting on my post, you've got us all singing "These Boots Are Made For Walking" now, which is a vast improvement!
Now I cannot get that blasted song out of my head. Must hunt up the theme from the Good, the Bad and the Ugly...
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