Toxic Lace
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I'm as much of a pacifist as the next peacenik, but that doesn't mean I have to like the ham-fisted schlock of the 1974 hit U.K. single and thinly-disguised anti-Vietnam War anthem "Billy, Don't Be a Hero" by the two-hit not-such-a-wonder Paper Lace. Although the American group Bo Donaldson & the Heywoods commandeered the United States charts with their version of "Billy, Don't Be a Hero," Paper Lace did score big in the U.S. with the follow-up stinker "The Night Chicago Died," which was ostensibly about the volatile, gangster-ridden era of Prohibition in the Second City. Not that anyone should care.
For the record, Paper Lace emerged from Nottingham, England in the late '60s, shepherded into the studio by songwriters/producers Mitch Murray and Peter Callender who penned "Billy, Don't Be a Hero." The ensemble produced a couple of lame albums - one in '74 and one in '75 - and folded up shop until the requisite series of slapdash reunions with cobbled-together line-ups.
Sure, Bo Donaldson's "Billy, Don't Be a Hero" had the high chart position and record sales in the States, but let's put the blame where it belongs. Paper Lace recorded the original, and here they are, straight from the vintage-video vault on a Toxic Tuesday.
Paper Lace - "Billy, Don't Be a Hero"
Comments (33)
You're shootin' fish in a barrel here..I predict zero arguments from the masses..(hope I'm wrong though)
I kinda like it when I piss off a few apologists, C.B. But that's my nature...
Wow, whistling and a drummer/singer. Just so no one has to look for their other song, heres a user gened Night Chicago Died. If you watch the video and link to the comments it created quite a stir with images of old gangsters and new ones. Who knew Paper Lace could stir it up so..
I'd prefer to hear Bob Marley "Stir It Up," if you get my drift...
Yup, no question there. Bob Marley Vs. Paper Lace is not a fair fight. I would like to see the Wailers go up against Sammy "Chevy Van" Johns though..he's pretty tough I hear.
High-larious! At least the video is. Almost forgot that one. Toxic? Borderline.
I think very toxic..almost new-clee-er toxic.
YACS. I guess I was being kind because of the singing car.
There's always the Poppy Family..Terry "seasons in the sun" Jack's early band..
Love the very friendly wiki entry on poppy family..I didn't know T.Jacks went so deep. Always didn't know this was one of the most popular Canadian joints of all time. I always confuse Terry Jacks and Sammy Johns.
Oh man, I just noticed a pro-Paper Lace post on MOG from back inna day..just scroll uppa the top o' the page..
Yikes. And BTW, as you might know, I did my requisite slam of Terry Jacks and "Seasons..." quite a few Toxic Tuesdays ago.
Is this a private conversation or can anyone join in? Didn't like it then...in whatever version was played ad infinitum back in the bad old days.....won't like it now....so why subject myself to it?
But I had to stop by & say hi.
Speaking of gung ho warriors, how about reluctant ones?
dmdm: You're always welcome to chime in with righteous disdain, and be advised that my comparitive absence from the threads this past week will end soon. Been swamped with work, and also getting ready to go back to San Francisco for a bit as my recovery is finally proceeding along in the right direction.
Aiea: Damn! That's one I would've jumped on as a Tuesday tidbit had I not succeeded in wiping it from my memory. Well done?
wretch,errrp,wretch, wretch,ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Sobbing here - and not because the ending is so moving.....
Here's a song that was so Toxic, the Veteran's of Foreign Wars drew their guns on radio stations that dared to play it.
inrumford: Now, hold it together.
ivylander: Dry your eyes, you wimp! ;-)
Terry Jacks is a titan of toxicity.
Aiea: Yes, Kenny's suckage is massive, and you continue to kill future Toxic Tuesday topics. I am forever grateful - I think.
C.B.: To say the least.
Mike- between you and Cody I think Toxic Tuesdays are set through the next year, at least! OW! Just the memory of those songs can be fatal! I just couldn't hit the button...
Courage, brother! It's almost Wednesday.
why is it the toxic posts that most people agree with the most I tend to like the songs...........
You're a contrarian?
or just weird........I will let mog decide
Democracy in action!
I can't decide which is more horrible: You remember this stuff or you take time to research it.
I notice that over 2 years ago a MOGGER posted in the affirmative about Paper Lace..so there is balance in this world.
I know I remember these tunes cause I was 7 or 8 and they were on the radio..I've tried my entire life to get them out of my head but I can't. Sadly they helped form the neural pathways that give me my sense of what music is. AAAAAAAARGH! My brain was taken over by early 70's TOP 40.
The depressing part of these toxic posts is that this is what a very large number of people actually like.
Jonh: I'd say it's an odious combo of both. To willfully misquote P.T. Barnum, you can fool many of the people a lot of the time.
C.B.: Balance? I guess, if you mean like the Cold War's "balance of terror."
Yeah, or like fair and balanced
Hah! FOX-y! (As in the conniving beast that steals into our nation's coop and is up to no good...)