"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" | ||||
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Single by Kelly Gordon | ||||
from the album Defunked | ||||
B-side | "That's Life" | |||
Released | 1969 | |||
Length | 4:49 | |||
Label | Capitol | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Kelly Gordon | |||
Kelly Gordon singles chronology | ||||
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"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 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.
In his 1884 book The Parables of Jesus , James Wells, Moderator of the United Free Church of Scotland, tells the story of a little girl carrying a big baby boy. 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]
"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" | ||||
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Single by the Hollies | ||||
from the album He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother (US) | ||||
B-side | "'Cos You Like to Love Me" | |||
Released |
| |||
Recorded | June 25, 1969 [5] | |||
Studio | EMI, London | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:20 [7] | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Ron Richards | |||
The Hollies singles chronology | ||||
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The Hollies recorded the song in June 1969 at the EMI Studios (now Abbey Road Studios), with Allan Clarke on lead vocals. Elton John, who was working as a session musician at the time, played the piano on the song, [8] as well their next single, "I Can't Tell the Bottom from the Top". [9] The song was released on 26 September 1969 and reached No. 3 in the UK, [10] and No. 7 in the US. [5] 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. [11]
Record World said, "This beautiful ballad features [the Hollies'] usual fine vocals." [12]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
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"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" | ||||
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Single by Neil Diamond | ||||
from the album Tap Root Manuscript | ||||
B-side | "Free Life" | |||
Released | November 5, 1970 | |||
Recorded | 1970 | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 4:30 | |||
Label | Uni | |||
Songwriter(s) | Bob Russell, Bobby Scott | |||
Producer(s) | Neil Diamond, Tom Catalano | |||
Neil Diamond singles chronology | ||||
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The Neil Diamond version entered at No. 68 on the Hot 100 on November 7, 1970 (UNI Records, 55264, length 4:09). [36] The flip side was "Free Life". The song appears on Diamond's album Tap Root Manuscript , which was released in November 1970. [36] 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.
7" single
Chart (1970-1971) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Billboard Hot 100 [37] | 20 |
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) | 4 |
Australian Singles Chart | 94 |
New Zealand Singles Chart | 18 |
"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" | ||||
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Single by Bill Medley | ||||
from the album Rambo III: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | ||||
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 | |||
Bill Medley singles chronology | ||||
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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 on the chart the same time as the Hollies' version in 1988. It reached No. 49 on Billboard's AC chart. [38]
7" single
Chart (1988) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) | 49 |
UK Singles Chart [39] | 25 |
Dutch Top 40 [40] | 23 |
Belgian Singles Chart [41] | 20 |
"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" | ||||
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Single by Gotthard | ||||
from the album G. (Asian Releases only) | ||||
Released | September 20, 1996 | |||
Recorded | 1996 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 4:37 | |||
Label | BMG | |||
Songwriter(s) | Bob Russell, Bobby Scott | |||
Producer(s) | Chris von Rohr | |||
Gotthard singles chronology | ||||
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In 1996, Gotthard released their version of the song, which was 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.
CD-maxi
Chart (1996) | Peak position |
---|---|
Swiss Singles Chart [42] | 10 |
"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" | ||||
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Single by the Justice Collective | ||||
Released | December 17, 2012 | |||
Recorded | October–November 2012 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | Pop rock | |||
Length | 4:33 | |||
Label | Metropolis | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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The Justice Collective singles chronology | ||||
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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 December 17, 2012, by musicians and celebrities going under the name the Justice Collective, for various charities associated with the Hillsborough disaster. [43] The song went on to take the coveted Christmas number one position for 2012 on the UK Singles Chart. [44]
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. [45]
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 September 17, 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. [45]
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 October 25, 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. [45]
The Hollies are an English pop rock band formed in 1962. One of the leading British groups of the 1960s and into the mid-1970s, they are known for their distinctive three-part vocal harmony style. Allan Clarke and Graham Nash founded the band as a Merseybeat-type group in Manchester, although some of the band members came from towns further north, in east Lancashire. Nash left the group in 1968 to form Crosby, Stills & Nash, though he has reunited with the Hollies on occasion.
The Farm are a British band from Liverpool. Their first album, Spartacus, reached the top position on the UK Albums Chart when it was released in March 1991; Spartacus 30 was released in 2021 to commemorate the anniversary. Spartacus includes two songs which had been top 10 singles the year before. In 2012, they toured with their Spartacus Live shows and formed part of the Justice Tonight Band, supporting the Stone Roses at Heaton Park, Phoenix Park, Lyon and Milan. The Justice Collective had the 2012 Christmas number one with their recording of "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother".
"Get Ready" is a Motown song written by Smokey Robinson, which resulted in two hit records for the label: a U.S. No. 29 version by The Temptations in 1966, and a U.S. No. 4 version by Rare Earth in 1970. It is significant for being the last song Robinson wrote and produced for the Temptations, due to a deal Berry Gordy made with Norman Whitfield, that if "Get Ready" did not meet with the expected degree of success, then Whitfield's song, "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", would get the next release, which resulted in Whitfield more or less replacing Robinson as the group's producer.
"Ain't No Sunshine" is a song by Bill Withers, from his 1971 debut album Just As I Am, produced by Booker T. Jones. The record featured musicians Donald "Duck" Dunn on bass guitar, Al Jackson Jr. on drums and Stephen Stills on guitar. String arrangements were done by Booker T. Jones. The song was recorded in Los Angeles, with overdubs in Memphis by engineer Terry Manning.
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" is a song written by Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson in 1966 for the Tamla label, a division of Motown. The composition was first successful as a 1967 hit single recorded by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, and became a hit again in 1970 when recorded by former Supremes frontwoman Diana Ross. The song became Ross's first solo number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" is a 1968 single released by American R&B/soul duo Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, on the Tamla label in 1968. The B-side of the single is "Little Ole Boy, Little Ole Girl" from the duo's United LP. The first release off the duo's second album: You're All I Need, the song—written and produced by regular Gaye/Terrell collaborators Ashford & Simpson—became a hit within weeks of release eventually peaking at number eight on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart, the first of the duo's two number-one R&B hits. In the UK "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" reached number 34.
"The Air That I Breathe" is a ballad written by the British-Gibraltarian singer-songwriter Albert Hammond and the English songwriter Mike Hazlewood. It was initially recorded by Hammond on his debut album, It Never Rains in Southern California (1972). After being covered by Phil Everly in 1973, it was a major hit for the Hollies in early 1974, reaching number two in the UK Singles Chart. It was the Hollies' last major hit. The English rock band Radiohead reused the chord progression and melody of "The Air That I Breathe" for their 1992 song "Creep".
"You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" is a song by Canadian rock band Bachman–Turner Overdrive (BTO). The song was written by Randy Bachman for the band's third studio album Not Fragile (1974). It was released as a single in 1974, with an instrumental track "Free Wheelin'" as the B-side. It reached the number one position on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and the Canadian RPM chart the week of November 9, 1974, as well as earning the band their only major hit single in the United Kingdom, peaking at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart. The follow-up single, "Roll on Down the Highway", was also a minor UK hit.
"The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore)" is a song written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio.
"This Ain't a Love Song" is the lead single from American rock band Bon Jovi's sixth studio album, These Days (1995). The rock ballad is an example of the strong rhythm and blues influence that Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora wanted the album to have. Released in May 1995 by Mercury, it reached number 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number two on the Canadian RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart, number six on the UK Singles Chart, and number one on the Finnish Singles Chart.
"Love the One You're With" is a song by American folk rock musician Stephen Stills. It was released as the lead single from his debut self-titled studio album in November 1970. The song, inspired by a remark Stills heard from musician Billy Preston, became his biggest hit single, peaking at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1971. David Crosby and Graham Nash, Stills' fellow members of Crosby, Stills & Nash, provide background vocals on the song. Also providing the backups are Rita Coolidge, her sister Priscilla Jones, and John Sebastian. They all sing the "Do Dos" that come before the instrumental portion and the Outro. The song was also recorded by the Isley Brothers, The Meters, Bucks Fizz, Luther Vandross, Bob Seger and Richard Clapton, among others.
Tap Root Manuscript is the sixth studio album recorded by Neil Diamond, released in October 1970. It was one of the most experimental albums he ever recorded, featuring rock music fused with prominent African sounds and instruments. The album was a commercial success, going Gold in three months, eventually certified Platinum by the RIAA. The album's success was powered primarily by "Cracklin' Rosie", his first number 1 single, with help from Diamond's cover of "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother", which rose to number 20. The latter song had been a major hit for the Hollies the previous year.
"True Love Ways" is a song attributed to Norman Petty and Buddy Holly. Buddy Holly's original was recorded with the Dick Jacobs Orchestra in October 1958, four months before the singer's death. It was first released on the posthumous album The Buddy Holly Story, Vol. 2, in March 1960. The song was first released as a single in Britain in May 1960, reaching number 25 on the UK Singles Chart. It was released the following month in the US, but did not make the charts. In 1988, a UK re-release of the recording by MCA, the single reached no. 65 on the UK singles chart in a 5 week chart run.
"To Love Somebody" is a song written by Barry and Robin Gibb. Produced by Robert Stigwood, it was the second single released by the Bee Gees from their international debut album, Bee Gees 1st, in 1967. The single reached No. 17 in the United States and No. 41 in the United Kingdom. The song's B-side was "Close Another Door". The single was reissued in 1980 on RSO Records with "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" as its flipside. The song ranked at number 94 on NME magazine's "100 Best Tracks of the Sixties". It was a minor hit in the UK and France. It reached the top 20 in the US. It reached the top 10 in Canada.
The discography of British rock and pop band the Hollies consists of 21 studio albums, 24 compilation albums, two tribute/covers albums, seven extended plays, and 67 singles.
"It Doesn't Matter Anymore" is a pop ballad written by Paul Anka and recorded by Buddy Holly in 1958. The song was issued in January 1959, less than a month before Holly's death. "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" reached number 13 as a posthumous hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1959, shortly after Holly was killed in a plane crash on February 3, 1959. The single was a two-sided hit, backed with "Raining in My Heart". "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" was Holly's last US Top 20 hit and featured the orchestral backing of Dick Jacobs. It was also successful in the United Kingdom, where it became the country's first posthumous number 1 hit.
"Arms of Mary" is a song written by Iain Sutherland and performed by Sutherland Brothers and Quiver. It was a 1976 international hit single for the band; the Glasgow Herald in its obituary for Iain Sutherland described "Arms of Mary" as "a plaintive and radio-friendly folk-rock ballad in which the narrator reminisces over the woman he first made love to."
The Justice Collective was a collective of musicians and celebrities. The project is spearheaded by Peter Hooton of the Farm. It was originally established in 2012 as a fund-raising record raising money for the various charities associated with the Hillsborough disaster. It is best known for its charity single "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" in 2012. A closely related collective known as the Peace Collective released the charity single "All Together Now" in 2014.
"I Can't Tell the Bottom from the Top" is a song by rock group the Hollies, released in April 1970 as a single. It peaked at number 7 on the UK Singles Chart.