Crowd shot masthead ApologetiX Logo Keith Haynie plays bassBill Hubauer plays lead guitarJ. Jackson sings leadJimmy Vegas Tanner plays drums
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03.28.24Easter Season Playlist 2024
03.28.24New CD BOGO Ends Sunday Night
03.28.24Bible-Reading Ends Tuesday, Starts Again Wednesday
03.25.24This Week's News Bulletin
03.22.24Fans Making Plans to Attend Our Big Show September 1
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03.22.24How to Get the ApX Library, USBs, Multiple Downloads
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03.22.24Influential Albums: 1409-1415
03.22.24This Week's Bible-Reading
03.22.24The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
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03.20.24New Single: Top-Five Hits by Four-Man Bands
03.20.24Over 1650 Tracks for $100
03.18.24USBs Include New Single & Next CD
03.16.24Influential Albums: 1402-1408
03.16.24This Week's Bible-Reading and Rock Thru the Bible
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03.09.24The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
03.05.24This Week's News Bulletin
03.03.24New Single: '74 Solo Smashes
03.01.24A Serious Problem We're Trying to Address
02.29.24All About Our Next CD
02.29.24Influential Albums: 1388-1394
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02.29.24Clues for 2024 Single #5
02.25.24This Week's News Bulletin
02.22.24Get Ready for Our Next CD
02.22.24Influential Albums: 1381-1387
02.22.24This Week's Bible Reading and Rock Thru the Bible
02.22.24Wayne Is Retiring, What's Next for Him and Us?
02.22.24The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
02.19.24This Week's News Bulletin
02.19.24New Single: Billy & The Beach
02.16.24Influential Albums: 1374-1380
02.16.24This Week's Bible Reading and Rock Thru the Bible
02.16.24Remembering ApX Friend Paul "Doc" Nigh (1956-2024)
02.16.24Clues for 2024 Single #4
02.10.24Influential Albums: 1367-1373
02.10.24This Week's Bible Reading and Rock Thru the Bible
02.10.24The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
02.06.24This Week's News Bulletin
02.06.24New Single: '74 & '83
02.03.24ApX Lead Singer/Lyricist Shares His Testimony 36 Years Later
02.03.24Influential Albums: 1360-1366
02.03.24This Week's Bible Reading and Rock Thru the Bible
02.03.24Latest CD Added to iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, Etc.
02.02.24Clues for 2024 Single #3
01.29.24This Week's News Bulletin
01.26.24Influential Albums: 1353-1359
01.26.24How to Get the ApX Library, USBs, Multiple Downloads
01.26.24This Week's Bible-Reading and Rock Thru the Bible
01.26.24Flashback: J.'s Vision for ApologetiX in 2014
01.26.24J.'s Vision for ApologetiX in 2024
01.26.24The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
01.24.24Checking in With ApX Alum Drummer Fred Behanna
01.22.24This Week's News Bulletin
01.22.24New Single: '70s #1 Hits That Remade '60s Top 10 Hits
01.19.24Influential Albums: 1346-1352
01.19.24Encouraging Message from Longtime Fan in Oklahoma
01.19.24This Week's Bible-Reading & Rock Thru the Bible
01.15.24This Week's News Bulletin
01.12.24Influential Albums: 1339-1346
01.12.24The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
01.12.24Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
01.12.24New Testament Reading Started Wednesday
01.11.24New Worship Songs Available from ApX Alum Bill Rieger
01.08.24New Single: '81 & '83
01.08.24New CD BOGO Ends Sunday
01.08.24New USB Thumb Drives on the Way
01.05.24Clues for 2024 Single #1
01.05.24Influential Albums: 1332-1338
01.05.24Have You Heard About the Other Music City Miracle?
01.05.24This Week's Bible Reading & Rock Thru the Bible
12.29.23Influential Albums: 1325-1331
12.29.23Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
12.28.232023: A Record-Breaking Record-Making Year
12.28.23The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
12.26.23This Week's News Bulletin
12.26.23New Single: 1974 & 2008
12.23.23Influential Albums: 1318-1324
12.23.23Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
12.23.23ApologetiX Updated Christmas Playlist
12.18.23This Week's News Bulletin
12.18.23New Samson CD Mailed to Fans, New Orders Sent as They Come In
12.16.23Influential Albums: 1311-1317
12.16.23Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
12.16.23New Story
12.16.23The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
12.11.23This Week's News Bulletin
12.11.23New Single: '83 & '84
12.11.23ApX Apparel: Order by Tuesday with Express Shipping
12.07.23New ApX Apparel and More: Order Soon for Christmas
12.07.23Influential Albums: 1304-1310
12.07.23Just Reword CD Added to iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, Etc.
12.07.23Clues for 2023 Single #25
12.04.23This Week's News Bulletin
12.02.23Influential Albums: 1297-1303

God's Grace & Paper Lace: 1974-2008
Mon., May. 19. 2008 6:34pm EDT

Two of the first songs ApologetiX lead singer/lyricist J. Jackson ever learned all the words to were a pair of number-one hits from the summer of 1974, "Billy Don't be a Hero" and "The Night Chicago Died." In fact, those songs were probably influential in the childhoods of all four ApologetiX band members and any other American kid alive at the time. Both are classic storytelling songs that originated with the same band, an English group called Paper Lace.

Paper Lace first scored a number-one hit in the United Kingdom with "Billy Don't Be a Hero," which was covered by a U.S. group called Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods, who took their version to number one in the United States before Paper Lace could release the original here. Paper Lace would not be beaten to the punch a second time, though. They released "The Night Chicago Died" (a number-three U.K. hit) soon after, and hit the top position on the U.S. charts.

So what's with the music trivia lesson? Read the email below and see:

Let me tell you how I came to order the ApologetiX song book. I'm the teaching pastor of a church in the UK and I often lead worship, too. On Saturday, I was supposed to be preparing music for Sunday, but the only thing I had in my mind was "Long Train Running". I was so obsessed with the tune that I Googled something like, "Christian+lyrics+long train running" and your site came up! I had never heard of the band. I looked around the site and felt an immediate witness with what I saw. I ordered your song book as a result.

Get this -- I spent the next six hours reading/singing my way through the songbook! To cut the story short, it was Sunday am before I managed to stop singing your songs and get down to preparing worship for Sunday! I love your work! I honestly have not laughed so much in a good long time. I really appreciate the 'technicalities' of the lyrics. Who knows what will come of having your song book...

Incidentally, I have a history in music/sound engineering and noticed your mention of "Billy Don't be a Hero" and "The Night Chicago Died." I was sound engineer with Paper Lace when those tracks were recorded/toured!

Ian Marron
Headington, Oxfordshire
United Kingdom
Editor's note: Isn't God cool?