Discover the story of the song > I Don’t Want To Be A Hero – Johnny Hates Jazz

The song is about the protagonist being pressured to go to war and fight for his country, but he doesn't want to because he doesn't believe in killing and doesn't want to die. He feels like war is glorified and that the consequences are not fully understood. He worries that if he does go to war, he will either be forced to kill or be punished for not doing so, and that even if he does come back, his loved ones may not accept him because of the violence he's endured.