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
Billy Don't Be a Hero blue, and "riding out" (cavalry) refer to the American Civil War. However the drum beat and cavalry "riding out" is not specific to the American Civil War, and blue uniforms were common in the 19th century. That being said, Paper Lace themselves performed the song on "Top of the Pops" wearing Union-style uniforms, as can be seen on YouTube. A young woman is distraught that her fiancé chooses to enlist with Army recruiters passing through the town, causing her to implore him: The song goes on to describe how Billy is killed in action in a pitched battle after volunteering