He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother


"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 a minor hit for Neil Diamond in 1970. It has been recorded by many artists in subsequent years.
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."
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.'"
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. 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.

Versions

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 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.
;Weekly charts
Chart Peak
position
Australia 8

Chart Peak
position
Ireland 2

;Year-end charts
Chart Rank
Australia54
Canada68
South Africa16
US Billboard Hot 10046
US Cash Box58

Neil Diamond

The Neil Diamond version entered at #68 on the Hot 100 on 7 November 1970 . The flip side was "Free Life". The song appears on the Neil Diamond album Tap Root Manuscript, which was released November 1970. 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 Peak
position
Billboard Hot 10020
US Adult Contemporary 4
Australian Singles Chart94
New Zealand Singles Chart18

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 the Billboard's AC chart.
;Track listings
7" Single
  1. He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother - 4:30
  2. Giorgio Moroder - The Bridge - 4:00
;Charts
Chart Peak
position
US Adult Contemporary 49
UK Singles Chart25
Dutch Top 4023
Belgian Singles Chart20

Gotthard version

In 1996, Gotthard released their version of the song He Is not Heavy, He's My Brother, which is kept much 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. You can also find it in the compilations 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 Peak
position
Swiss Singles Chart10

The Justice Collective version

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.
The song went on to take the coveted Christmas number one position for 2012 on the UK Singles Chart, 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.
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.
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.
;Vocalists
;Musicians
;Production
;Charts
Chart Peak
position

;Year-end charts
Chart Rank
UK Singles Chart49