Billy Don't Be a Hero Billy Don't Be a Hero "Billy Don't Be a Hero" is a 1974 pop song that was first a UK hit for Paper Lace and then, some months later, a US hit for Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods. The song was written and composed by two British songwriters, Mitch Murray and Peter Callander. Because the song was released in 1974, it was associated by some listeners with the Vietnam War, though the war to which it actually refers is never identified in the lyrics. It has been suggested that the drum pattern, references to a marching band leading soldiers in
Billy Don't Be a Hero performed a comedic cover of this song, featuring the altered line, "Where did Billy's head go?" in place of "Billy, keep your head low." Dav Pilkey, creator of Captain Underpants, named the hero of "The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby" Billy solely to make possible a passing homage to "Billy Don't Be a Hero." Since then, the "Billy Don't Be a Hero" homage has been applied to other characters whose names rhyme with "Billy" in several Captain Underpants spin-off comics. In the season 4 episode of "Dinosaurs," the episode title was referenced, "Earl, Don't Be A Hero." Billy Don't Be