I Do n't WANT to BE a HERO - wikipedia I Do n't WANT to BE a HERO `` I Do n'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 Length 3 : 37 Label Virgin Songwriter ( s ) Clark Datchler Producer ( s ) Calvin Hayes / Mike Nocito Johnny Hates Jazz singles chronology `` Shattered Dreams '' ( 1987 ) `` I Do n't Want to be a Hero '' ( 1987 ) `` Turn Back the Clock '' ( 1987 ) `` Shattered Dreams '' ( 1987 ) `` I Do n't Want to be a Hero '' ( 1987 ) `` Turn Back the Clock '' ( 1987 ) `` I Do n'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. It is taken from their # 1 album Turn Back the Clock. Contents 1 Writing and inspiration 2 Music video 3 Chart performance 4 Yōko Nagayama version 5 See also 6 References 7 External links 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. The song makes references to conscription and propaganda. Music video This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. ( October 2015 ) The international music video for the song was directed by Andy Morahan. Chart performance Chart ( 1987 -- 88 ) Peak position Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) 22 Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) 16 Canadian Retail Sales Chart 19 Canadian Singles Chart 16 France ( SNEP ) 32 Germany ( Official German Charts ) 17 Irish Singles Chart 13 Italian Singles Chart 11 Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) 25 Polish Singles Chart 14 Sweden ( Sverigetopplistan ) 10 Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) 12 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 11 US Billboard Hot 100 31 US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) 15 US Dance Club Songs ( Billboard ) 19 Yōko Nagayama version In 1988, Japanese singer Yōko Nagayama covered the song, `` 反逆 の ヒーロー ''. See also List of anti-war songs References Jump up ^ Inskeep, Thomas ; Soto, Alfred. `` The Bluffer 's Guide -- Sophisti - Pop ''. Stylus. Retrieved 2016 - 04 - 28. Jump up ^ `` Johnny Hates Jazz - I Do n't Want To Be A Hero ''. Chart Stats. Retrieved 2012 - 02 - 23. Jump up ^ 1. Interview with Calvin Hayes, April 2008 Jump up ^ Garcia, Alex S. `` mvdbase.com - Johnny Hates Jazz - `` I do n't want to be a hero ( version 1 : non-US ) '' ``. Music Video DataBase. Retrieved 2015 - 11 - 01. Jump up ^ `` Austriancharts.at -- JOHNNY HATES JAZZ -- I DON 'T WANT TO BE A HERO '' ( in German ). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- JOHNNY HATES JAZZ -- I DON 'T WANT TO BE A HERO '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop 50. ^ Jump up to : `` Results - RPM - Library and Archives Canada ''. Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2012 - 02 - 23. Jump up ^ `` Lescharts.com -- JOHNNY HATES JAZZ -- I DON 'T WANT TO BE A HERO '' ( in French ). Les classement single. Jump up ^ http://germancharts.de/showitem.asp?interpret=Johnny+Hates+Jazz&titel=I+Don%27t+Want+To+Be+A+Hero&cat=s Jump up ^ Jaclyn Ward. `` The Irish Charts - All there is to know ''. Irishcharts.ie. Archived from the original on 2009 - 06 - 03. Retrieved 2012 - 02 - 23. Jump up ^ `` Hit Parade Italia - Indice per Interprete : J ''. Hitparadeitalia.it. Retrieved 2012 - 02 - 23. Jump up ^ `` Dutchcharts.nl -- JOHNNY HATES JAZZ -- I DON 'T WANT TO BE A HERO '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Jump up ^ `` Swedishcharts.com -- JOHNNY HATES JAZZ -- I DON 'T WANT TO BE A HERO ''. Singles Top 100. Jump up ^ `` Swisscharts.com -- JOHNNY HATES JAZZ -- I DON 'T WANT TO BE A HERO ''. Swiss Singles Chart. Jump up ^ JOHNNY HATES JAZZ. Official Charts Company Jump up ^ `` JOHNNY HATES JAZZ Chart History ( Hot 100 ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` JOHNNY HATES JAZZ Chart History ( Adult Contemporary ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` JOHNNY HATES JAZZ Chart History ( Dance Club Songs ) ''. Billboard. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Johnny Hates Jazz Official Website Johnny Hates Jazz Clark Datchler Calvin Hayes Mike Nocito Phil Thornalley Danny Saxon Studio albums Turn Back the Clock Tall Stories Magnetized Compilations The Very Best of Johnny Hates Jazz Best of the 80 's Singles `` Me and My Foolish Heart '' `` Shattered Dreams '' `` I Do n't Want to Be a Hero '' `` Turn Back the Clock '' `` Heart of Gold '' `` Do n't Say It 's Love '' `` Turn the Tide '' `` Let Me Change Your Mind Tonight '' `` The Last to Know '' Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=I_Don%27t_Want_to_Be_a_Hero&oldid=832620557 '' Categories : 1986 songs 1987 singles Anti-war songs Johnny Hates Jazz songs Music videos directed by Andy Morahan Songs written by Clark Datchler Virgin Records singles Hidden categories : Articles with hAudio microformats Articles to be expanded from October 2015 All articles to be expanded Articles using small message boxes Singlechart usages for Austria Singlechart usages for Flanders Singlechart usages for French Singlechart usages for Dutch100 All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from August 2011 Singlechart usages for Sweden Singlechart usages for Swiss Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Singlechart usages for Billboardadultcontemporary Singlechart usages for Billboarddanceclubplay Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 27 March 2018, at 01 : 53 ( UTC ). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who sings i don't want to be a hero
Answer: the British band Johnny Hates Jazz