Billy Don't Be a Hero US version sold over three and a half million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. in June 1974. Donaldson and the Heywoods's version was a massive hit in Latin America and Japan as well, but it remained largely unknown elsewhere as of late July 2017. "Billboard" ranked it as the No. 21 song for 1974. Despite the song's popularity, it was poorly received, and it was voted No. 8 on "Rolling Stone" magazine's readers' poll of "10 Worst Songs of the 1970s." The song is mentioned as having played on K-Billy's "Super Sounds of the '70s
Anyone Who Had a Heart (song) "Billboard" reported that the sales tally for Black's "Anyone Who Had a Heart" was nearing one million units. Internationally, Black's version also reached No.1 in Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa. In The Netherlands the song reached the No.6 position and in Australia it peaked at No.34. In May 2010, research published by BBC Radio 2 revealed that "Anyone Who Had a Heart" by Cilla Black was the biggest female UK chart hit of the 1960s. Despite the international success and recognition of Warwick's original version, the besting in Great Britain by Black's version has long been a sore point