He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother

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This article is about the song by the Hollies. For other uses, see He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother (disambiguation).

"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" is a ballad written by Bobby Scott and Bob Russell. Originally recorded by Kelly Gordon in 1969, the song became a worldwide hit for the Hollies later that year and also a minor hit for Neil Diamond in 1970. It has been recorded by many artists in subsequent years. The Hollies' version was re-released in 1988 and again was a major hit in the UK.

Scott and Russell were introduced to each other by Johnny Mercer, at a California nightclub. Although Russell was dying of lymphoma and the pair met only three times, they managed to collaborate on the song.

Title

James Wells, Moderator of the United Free Church of Scotland, tells the story of a little girl carrying a big baby boy in his 1884 book The Parables of Jesus. Seeing her struggling, someone asked if she wasn't tired. With surprise she replied: "No, he's not heavy; he's my brother."[1]

In a 1918 publication by Ralph Waldo Trine titled The Higher Powers of Mind and Spirit, Trine relates the following anecdote: "Do you know that incident in connection with the little Scottish girl? She was trudging along, carrying as best she could a boy younger, but it seemed almost as big as she herself, when one remarked to her how heavy he must be for her to carry, when instantly came the reply: 'He's na heavy. He's mi brither.'"[2]

The first editor of Kiwanis magazine, Roe Fulkerson, published a column in September 1924 carrying the title "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother", the first use of the phrase exactly as it is rendered in the song title.

In the 1940s, the words, adapted as "He ain't heavy, Father, he's my brother", were taken as a slogan for Boys Town children's home by founder Father Edward Flanagan.[3] According to the Boys Town website, the phrase as used by Boys Town was said to Fr. Flanagan in 1918 by one of the residents while carrying another up a set of stairs. The boy being carried is said to have had polio and worn leg braces.[4]

Versions

The Hollies

"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"
File:The Hollies - He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother.jpg
Single by the Hollies
B-side "'Cos You Like to Love Me"
Released 26 September 1969 (1969-09-26)[5]
Recorded 25 June and 7 August 1969
Abbey Road Studios[5]
Genre
Length 4:20[6]
Label
Songwriter(s) Bob Russell and Bobby Scott
Producer(s) Ron Richards
Script error: The function "ucfirst" does not exist. singles chronology
"Sorry Suzanne"
(1969)		 "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"
(1969)		 "I Can't Tell the Bottom From the Top"
(1970)

The Hollies' recording, sung by Allan Clarke and featuring Elton John on piano, was released in the UK on 1 September 1969 and on 1 December 1969 in the US. It reached No. 3 in the UK[7] and No. 7 in the US. The song was re-released in August 1988 in the UK following its use in a television advertisement for Miller Lite beer. It reached the No. 1 spot in the UK chart for two weeks in September 1988.[8]

Neil Diamond

"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"
Single by Neil Diamond
Released November 5, 1970
Recorded 1970
Genre Rock
Length 4:30
Label Uni Records
Songwriter(s) Bob Russell, Bobby Scott
Producer(s) Neil Diamond, Tom Catalano
Script error: The function "ucfirst" does not exist. singles chronology
"Cracklin' Rosie"
(1970)		 "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"
(1970)		 "Do It"
(1970)

The Neil Diamond version entered at #68 on the Hot 100 on 7 November 1970 [28] (UNI Records, 55264, length 4:09). The flip side was "Free Life".[29] The song appears on the Neil Diamond album Tap Root Manuscript, which was released November 1970.[28] The song was played by KGB-AM radio, San Diego, California, in late 1970, prior to the then-new Walk for Mankind, in dedication to those who would be walking for donations that day.

Track listings

7" single

  1. He Ain't Heavy - He's My Brother - 3:59
  2. Free Life - 3:11
Charts
Chart (1970-1971) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[30] 20
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) 4
Australian Singles Chart 94
New Zealand Singles Chart 18

Bill Medley

"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"
Single by Bill Medley
Released August 1, 1988
Recorded 1988
Genre Soul, adult contemporary
Length 4:30
Label Scotti Bros
Songwriter(s) Bob Russell, Bobby Scott
Producer(s) Giorgio Moroder
Script error: The function "ucfirst" does not exist. singles chronology
"(I've Had) The Time of My Life"
(1987)		 "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"
(1988)

Bill Medley recorded a version for the soundtrack of the film Rambo III. It was released as a single in the UK and peaked at No. 25, being in the chart the same time as the Hollies' version in 1988. It reached No. 49 on Billboard's AC chart.[31]

Track listings

7" single

  1. He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother - 4:30
  2. Giorgio Moroder - The Bridge (Instrumental) - 4:00
Charts
Chart (1988) Peak
position
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) 49
UK Singles Chart[32] 25
Dutch Top 40[33] 23
Belgian Singles Chart[34] 20

Gotthard version

"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"
Single by Gotthard
Released September 20, 1996
Recorded 1996
Genre Pop
Length 4:37
Label BMG
Songwriter(s) Bob Russell, Bobby Scott
Producer(s) Chris von Rohr
Script error: The function "ucfirst" does not exist. singles chronology
"One Life One Soul"
(1996)		 "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"
(1996)		 "Let It Rain"
(1996)

In 1996, Gotthard released their version of the song, which was more poppier compared to their other songs and the structure was retained as a ballad like the original. In Switzerland, the cover was just as successful as the original. The Asian version of the album G contains the cover. It also appears on the compilation albums One Life One Soul - Best of Ballads and The Greatest Rock Ballads.

Track listings

CD-maxi

  1. "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" - 4:37
  2. "All I Care For" - 3:08
  3. "One Life, One Soul" - 3:58
Charts
Chart (1996) Peak
position
Swiss Singles Chart[35] 10

The Justice Collective version

"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"
File:The Justice Collective - He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother.jpg
Single by the Justice Collective
Released 17 December 2012 (2012-12-17)
Recorded October–November 2012
Sleeper Studios, Metropolis Studios, Abbey Road Studios
(London)
Parr Street Studios, Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts
(Liverpool)
Genre Pop rock
Length 4:33
Label Metropolis (5065001566387)
Songwriter(s)
  • Bob Russell
  • Bobby Scott
Producer(s)
Music video
"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" on YouTube

In 2012, a version of the song was recorded, and was released on 17 December 2012, by musicians and celebrities going under the name the Justice Collective, for various charities associated with the Hillsborough disaster.[36]

The song went on to take the coveted Christmas number one position for 2012 on the UK Singles Chart,[37] beating The X Factor winner James Arthur, who was number one the previous week.

Background

After the News International phone hacking scandal, members of the Farm along with Pete Wylie, and Mick Jones of the Clash performed at an anti-The Sun concert at the Liverpool Olympia in September 2011. Following this they formed the Justice Tonight Band and toured the United Kingdom and Europe for the next year in order to raise awareness of the Hillsborough Justice Campaign.[38]

Initially, the idea was to re-release the 2009 single "The Fields of Anfield Road" by the Liverpool Collective featuring the Kop Choir; however, this idea was rejected by Peter Hooton as only a relatively small number of people would buy it. Inspired by Everton's Hillsborough tribute on 17 September 2012, the song was played at Goodison Park prior to their match against Newcastle United. It was then decided that a re-recording of this song by various artists including the Justice Tonight Band would be released as the charity single.[38]

Keith Mullen of the Farm recruited Guy Chambers to produce the single and with Chambers offering free use of his Sleeper Studios to record the song. On 25 October 2012, Steve Rotheram, Guy Chambers and Kenny Dalglish announced plans of the single to be recorded by various artists such as Robbie Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, Paloma Faith, Beverley Knight, Melanie C, Holly Johnson, Mick Jones, Glen Campbell, Peter Hooton, Chris Sharrock, Glenn Tilbrook, Ren Harvieu, Dave McCabe, Paul Heaton, Hollie Cook, Jon McClure, John Power, Gerry Marsden, and two original members of the Hollies, Bobby Elliott and Tony Hicks.[38]

Charts

Other versions

References

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  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 The Hollies—Epic Anthology: From the Original Master Tapes Epic Records EGK 46161 liner notes
  6. ↑ Epic Records 5-10532 45 RPM
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – The Hollies – He Ain't Heavy - He's My Brother" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – The Hollies – He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  15. ↑ Flavour of New Zealand, 19 December 1969
  16. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – The Hollies – He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother". VG-lista.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Hollies, The – He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother". Swiss Singles Chart.
  19. ↑ "October 1969/ Archive Chart: 4 October 1969" UK Singles Chart.
  20. ↑ "The Hollies – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for The Hollies.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ "September 1988/ Archive Chart: 24 September 1988" UK Singles Chart.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ chartsurfer.de
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ chartsurfer.de
  33. ↑ ultratop.be
  34. ↑ ultratop.be
  35. ↑ hitparade.ch
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 38.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 39.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother". Irish Singles Chart.
  41. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – The Justice Collective – He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  42. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – The Justice Collective – He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother". VG-lista.
  43. ↑ "Archive Chart: 20121229". Scottish Singles Top 40.
  44. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[permanent dead link]
  45. ↑ "Archive Chart: 20121229" UK Indie Chart.
  46. ↑ "Archive Chart: 20121229" UK Singles Chart.
  47. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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