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Billy, Don't Be a Hero

Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods Pop English

Vocabulary from Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods: 'Billy, Don't Be a Hero'.

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 hero, come back to me.

he 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......

Vocabulary

the

Determiner

ðə

the definite article

The sun is hot.

Used before a noun to refer to a specific thing already known or mentioned.

marching band

Noun

ˈmɑrtʃɪŋˌbænd

a group of musicians who play instruments while marching

The marching band is loud during the parade.

Common for school, parade, and sports-event groups that perform music while moving in formation.

come down

Verb

to fall or move downward; to become lower

After the storm, several old branches came down in the road.

This phrasal verb can describe physical falling, movement to a lower place, or a decrease in price or level. Here it means the branches fell.

along

Preposition

əˈlɒŋ

by the side of; in a line with

We walked along the river.

Used to describe movement in a constant direction next to something long like a road, river, or path.

main street

Noun

ˌmeɪn ˈstriːt

the principal street in a town, often where shops and businesses are

The parade filled the main street with music on Saturday morning.

Main street is common in North American English for a town's central business street, even when the street has another official name.

soldier

Noun

ˈsoʊldʒər

a person who serves in an army

The soldier returned home after the war.

Generally refers to any member of an army. In some contexts, it specifically refers to a private or someone who is not an officer.

blues

Noun

bluːz

a type of slow, sad music; a feeling of sadness

The band played some slow blues music.

Originally from the southern US. Also used informally to describe a state of depression or sadness ('the blues').

fall in

Verb

to collapse inward; to move into line or formation

The old roof could fall in after the storm.

For a roof, wall, or ceiling, fall in means to collapse inward. It can also be used for soldiers moving into formation.

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