I Don't Want to Be a Hero

"I Don't Want to be a Hero"
Single by Johnny Hates Jazz
from the album Turn Back the Clock
B-side "The Cage"
Released August 1987 (UK)
October 1987 (US)
Recorded 1986–1987
Genre Sophisti-pop[1]
Length 3:37
Label Virgin
Songwriter(s) Clark Datchler
Producer(s) Calvin Hayes / Mike Nocito
Johnny Hates Jazz singles chronology
"Shattered Dreams"
(1987)		 "I Don't Want to be a Hero"
(1987)		 "Turn Back the Clock"
(1987)

"Shattered Dreams"
(1987)		 "I Don't Want to be a Hero"
(1987)		 "Turn Back the Clock"
(1987)

"I Don't Want to be a Hero" is a 1987 song by the British band Johnny Hates Jazz. It reached #11 in the UK top 40 in August 1987 spending 10 weeks on the chart.[2] It is taken from their #1 album Turn Back the Clock.

Writing and inspiration

The song was written by the band's lead singer and main songwriter, Clark Datchler. It has a strong anti-war sentiment and is written from the perspective of a soldier who is questioning their participation in what they consider an unjust war. The band's American record company were reluctant to release the single in the U.S. because of its anti-war stance.[3] The song makes references to conscription and propaganda.

Music video

The international music video for the song was directed by Andy Morahan.[4]

Chart performance

Chart (1987–88) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[5] 22
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[6] 16
Canadian Retail Sales Chart[7] 19
Canadian Singles Chart[7] 16
France (SNEP)[8] 32
Germany (Official German Charts)[9]
17
Irish Singles Chart[10] 13
Italian Singles Chart[11] 11
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[12] 25
Polish Singles Chart 14
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[13] 10
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[14] 12
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[15] 11
US Billboard Hot 100[16] 31
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[17] 15
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[18] 19

Yōko Nagayama version

In 1988, Japanese singer Yōko Nagayama covered the song, "反逆のヒーロー".

See also

References

  1. ↑ Inskeep, Thomas; Soto, Alfred. "The Bluffer's Guide – Sophisti-Pop". Stylus. Retrieved 2016-04-28.
  2. ↑ "Johnny Hates Jazz - I Don't Want To Be A Hero". Chart Stats. Retrieved 2012-02-23.
  3. ↑ 1. Interview with Calvin Hayes, April 2008
  4. ↑ Garcia, Alex S. "mvdbase.com - Johnny Hates Jazz - "I don't want to be a hero [version 1: non-US]"". Music Video DataBase. Retrieved 2015-11-01.
  5. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – JOHNNY HATES JAZZ – I DON'T WANT TO BE A HERO" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  6. ↑ "Ultratop.be – JOHNNY HATES JAZZ – I DON'T WANT TO BE A HERO" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  7. 1 2 "Results - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2012-02-23.
  8. ↑ "Lescharts.com – JOHNNY HATES JAZZ – I DON'T WANT TO BE A HERO" (in French). Les classement single.
  9. ↑ http://germancharts.de/showitem.asp?interpret=Johnny+Hates+Jazz&titel=I+Don%27t+Want+To+Be+A+Hero&cat=s
  10. ↑ Jaclyn Ward. "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". Irishcharts.ie. Archived from the original on 2009-06-03. Retrieved 2012-02-23.
  11. ↑ "Hit Parade Italia - Indice per Interprete: J". Hitparadeitalia.it. Retrieved 2012-02-23.
  12. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – JOHNNY HATES JAZZ – I DON'T WANT TO BE A HERO" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  13. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – JOHNNY HATES JAZZ – I DON'T WANT TO BE A HERO". Singles Top 100.
  14. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – JOHNNY HATES JAZZ – I DON'T WANT TO BE A HERO". Swiss Singles Chart.
  15. ↑ JOHNNY HATES JAZZ. Official Charts Company
  16. ↑ "JOHNNY HATES JAZZ Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  17. ↑ "JOHNNY HATES JAZZ Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  18. ↑ "JOHNNY HATES JAZZ Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard.
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