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
Billy Don't Be a Hero Weekend" in the film "Reservoir Dogs." The song features in the 1993 film "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert." The "Mystery Science Theater 3000" characters often use the line "Billy, don't be a hero!" when riffing on movies, one example being the episode "The Creeping Terror." In the first episode of "Friends," Ross (David Schwimmer) is sad because it has been so long since he last picked up a woman, saying, "Do the words 'Billy, Don't Be a Hero' mean anything to you?" Massive Attack's 1991 track "Blue Lines" (from the album of the same name) features the