Posted on Dec 28, 2019
The Hollies - He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother (lyrics on screen & in description)
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May this be our theme-song for 2020...
The Hollies - He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother Lyric Video (with lyrics on screen and in description below). I dedicate this video to my six wonderful brothers.
I remember once when I was about 5 years old, my brother Charlie and I had to walk about a mile to a neighbor's house to deliver something from my mom. Charlie was only 10 years old. About half-way there he kept asking me if I was too tired to walk and offered several times to carry me.
Story behind the song:
Boys Town, near Omaha, Nebraska, is a community for neglected and homeless boys. It was founded in 1917 by Father Edward Joseph Flanagan, who started with five youngsters in an old rented house. Over the years, from humble beginnings, a 1,400-acre community was built that became a village in 1936.
Self-governing and non-sectarian, Boys Town is supported in part by voluntary contributions. The Omaha Boys Town cares for over 500 boys and (since 1984) girls, who live in home settings and have available a range of educational facilities and health and counselling services. Boys Town also operates programmes in other states.
Boys Town, and the film of the same name starring Spencer Tracey, inspired the writing of The Hollies' classic, He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother by Americans Bobby Scott and Bobby Russell.
Tony Hicks says: "Yes, I pulled "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" out of a publishers., simply because it was a good song. I wasn't consciously looking for a different direction for The Hollies. I used to go into music publishers and I'd listen to 20-30 songs and just bring out the ones that appealed to me and play them to Ron Richards. I heard the song and I took it to Ron. There was no great excitement, nobody was saying you've really got a wonderful song there, which is going to be a world-wide smash and it will be played for years to come. They listened and went mm, yes, well it's quite pleasant. The attitude was let's give it a try and we did and it's the most important song we ever recorded."
Lyrics:
The road is long
With many a winding turn
That leads us to who knows where
Who knows where
But I'm strong
Strong enough to carry him
He ain't heavy, he's my brother
So on we go
His welfare is of my concern
No burden is he to bear
We'll get there
For I know
He would not encumber me
He ain't heavy, he's my brother
If I'm laden at all
I'm laden with sadness
That everyone's heart
Isn't filled with the gladness
Of love for one another
It's a long, long road
From which there is no return
While we're on the way to there
Why not share
And the load
Doesn't weigh me down at all
He ain't heavy, he's my brother
He's my brother
He ain't heavy, he's my brother...
The Hollies - He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother Lyric Video (with lyrics on screen and in description below). I dedicate this video to my six wonderful brothers.
I remember once when I was about 5 years old, my brother Charlie and I had to walk about a mile to a neighbor's house to deliver something from my mom. Charlie was only 10 years old. About half-way there he kept asking me if I was too tired to walk and offered several times to carry me.
Story behind the song:
Boys Town, near Omaha, Nebraska, is a community for neglected and homeless boys. It was founded in 1917 by Father Edward Joseph Flanagan, who started with five youngsters in an old rented house. Over the years, from humble beginnings, a 1,400-acre community was built that became a village in 1936.
Self-governing and non-sectarian, Boys Town is supported in part by voluntary contributions. The Omaha Boys Town cares for over 500 boys and (since 1984) girls, who live in home settings and have available a range of educational facilities and health and counselling services. Boys Town also operates programmes in other states.
Boys Town, and the film of the same name starring Spencer Tracey, inspired the writing of The Hollies' classic, He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother by Americans Bobby Scott and Bobby Russell.
Tony Hicks says: "Yes, I pulled "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" out of a publishers., simply because it was a good song. I wasn't consciously looking for a different direction for The Hollies. I used to go into music publishers and I'd listen to 20-30 songs and just bring out the ones that appealed to me and play them to Ron Richards. I heard the song and I took it to Ron. There was no great excitement, nobody was saying you've really got a wonderful song there, which is going to be a world-wide smash and it will be played for years to come. They listened and went mm, yes, well it's quite pleasant. The attitude was let's give it a try and we did and it's the most important song we ever recorded."
Lyrics:
The road is long
With many a winding turn
That leads us to who knows where
Who knows where
But I'm strong
Strong enough to carry him
He ain't heavy, he's my brother
So on we go
His welfare is of my concern
No burden is he to bear
We'll get there
For I know
He would not encumber me
He ain't heavy, he's my brother
If I'm laden at all
I'm laden with sadness
That everyone's heart
Isn't filled with the gladness
Of love for one another
It's a long, long road
From which there is no return
While we're on the way to there
Why not share
And the load
Doesn't weigh me down at all
He ain't heavy, he's my brother
He's my brother
He ain't heavy, he's my brother...
Music
Loyalty
Honor
Posted 5 y ago
Responses: 11
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Thank you, my friend SGT Steve McFarland for posting the audio recording of the Hollies performing "He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother" written by Bobby Scott and Bob Russell
Song background from the Hollies perspective "In the Guardian newspaper of February 24, 2006, Hollies guitarist Tony Hicks said: "In the 1960s when we were short of songs I used to root around publishers in Denmark Street. One afternoon, I'd been there ages and wanted to get going but this bloke said: 'Well there's one more song. It's probably not for you.' He played me the demo by the writers [Bobby Scott and Bob Russell]. It sounded like a 45rpm record played at 33rpm, the singer was slurring, like he was drunk. But it had something about it. There were frowns when I took it to the band but we speeded it up and added an orchestra. The only things left recognizable were the lyrics. There'd been this old film called Boys Town about a children's home in America, and the statue outside showed a child being carried aloft and the motto He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother. Bob Russell had been dying of cancer while writing. We never got, or asked for, royalties. Elton John - who was still called Reg - played piano on it and got paid 12 pounds. It was a worldwide hit twice."
Joe Cocker was offered this song before The Hollies after it had been played first to his producer Denny Cordell. The General Professional Manager for Cyril Shane Music Ltd & Pedro Music Ltd in England at the time explains: "Tony Hicks was in our office looking for songs for the Hollies (our office was not on Denmark Street, it was in Baker Street). Denny called from New York to say 'Joe didn't see the song.' As Tony said in The Guardian, he liked the song and asked for an exclusive the following day. The version he heard was Kelly Gordon, who apart from being a successful producer, also wrote a little song entitled 'That's Life.' His version was slow and soulful which is why I had thought of Joe Cocker to record it. Bobby Russell wrote this song while dying of cancer in Los Angeles.
We picked up the British rights to 'He Ain't Heavy' from an American publisher Larry Shayne. The song was on a Kelly Gordon album called Defunked. The version was slow and soulful and had Joe Cocker written all over it. Joe turned it down, to his producer's surprise. We had a hit with The Hollies previously called 'I'm Alive,' so we had a relationship with them. Also, we had a great working relationship with the Air London production team, of which their producer Ron Richards was a partner. We never considered playing the song for The Hollies when Tony Hicks was in the office. We were playing songs like 'Sorry Suzanne.' It was only at the end of the meeting I suggested playing Tony this wonderful song, not because it was for them, but just to share the song. We were surprised when he said 'That's the one.'"
https://www.songfacts.com/facts/the-hollies/he-aint-heavy-hes-my-brother
FYI SPC Chris Bayner-CwikTSgt David L.PO1 Robert George
SGT John MelvinSSG Robert Mark OdomSPC Matthew Lamb
SSG Robert "Rob" WentworthPV2 Brian HatcherCapt Rich Buckley
CW4 G.L. SmithSPC Russ BoltonSFC Terry WilcoxPO2 Roger LafarletteSSG Franklin Briant1stsgt Glenn Brackin COL Mikel J. Burroughs Col Carl Whicker Sgt Kelli Mays LTC Hillary Luton
Song background from the Hollies perspective "In the Guardian newspaper of February 24, 2006, Hollies guitarist Tony Hicks said: "In the 1960s when we were short of songs I used to root around publishers in Denmark Street. One afternoon, I'd been there ages and wanted to get going but this bloke said: 'Well there's one more song. It's probably not for you.' He played me the demo by the writers [Bobby Scott and Bob Russell]. It sounded like a 45rpm record played at 33rpm, the singer was slurring, like he was drunk. But it had something about it. There were frowns when I took it to the band but we speeded it up and added an orchestra. The only things left recognizable were the lyrics. There'd been this old film called Boys Town about a children's home in America, and the statue outside showed a child being carried aloft and the motto He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother. Bob Russell had been dying of cancer while writing. We never got, or asked for, royalties. Elton John - who was still called Reg - played piano on it and got paid 12 pounds. It was a worldwide hit twice."
Joe Cocker was offered this song before The Hollies after it had been played first to his producer Denny Cordell. The General Professional Manager for Cyril Shane Music Ltd & Pedro Music Ltd in England at the time explains: "Tony Hicks was in our office looking for songs for the Hollies (our office was not on Denmark Street, it was in Baker Street). Denny called from New York to say 'Joe didn't see the song.' As Tony said in The Guardian, he liked the song and asked for an exclusive the following day. The version he heard was Kelly Gordon, who apart from being a successful producer, also wrote a little song entitled 'That's Life.' His version was slow and soulful which is why I had thought of Joe Cocker to record it. Bobby Russell wrote this song while dying of cancer in Los Angeles.
We picked up the British rights to 'He Ain't Heavy' from an American publisher Larry Shayne. The song was on a Kelly Gordon album called Defunked. The version was slow and soulful and had Joe Cocker written all over it. Joe turned it down, to his producer's surprise. We had a hit with The Hollies previously called 'I'm Alive,' so we had a relationship with them. Also, we had a great working relationship with the Air London production team, of which their producer Ron Richards was a partner. We never considered playing the song for The Hollies when Tony Hicks was in the office. We were playing songs like 'Sorry Suzanne.' It was only at the end of the meeting I suggested playing Tony this wonderful song, not because it was for them, but just to share the song. We were surprised when he said 'That's the one.'"
https://www.songfacts.com/facts/the-hollies/he-aint-heavy-hes-my-brother
FYI SPC Chris Bayner-CwikTSgt David L.PO1 Robert George
SGT John MelvinSSG Robert Mark OdomSPC Matthew Lamb
SSG Robert "Rob" WentworthPV2 Brian HatcherCapt Rich Buckley
CW4 G.L. SmithSPC Russ BoltonSFC Terry WilcoxPO2 Roger LafarletteSSG Franklin Briant1stsgt Glenn Brackin COL Mikel J. Burroughs Col Carl Whicker Sgt Kelli Mays LTC Hillary Luton
He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother by The Hollies - Songfacts
He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother by The Hollies song meaning, lyric interpretation, video and chart position
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The road is indeed long.
Another cool Hollies song
"Long Cool Woman In Black Dress".
I am a huge fan of the Hollies.
I grew up in the 60s and early 70s.
We had some really great music that is still relevant to this day. I believe that is something known as timeless.
Great share Sgt. Steve MacFarland thank you and LTC Ford.
Another cool Hollies song
"Long Cool Woman In Black Dress".
I am a huge fan of the Hollies.
I grew up in the 60s and early 70s.
We had some really great music that is still relevant to this day. I believe that is something known as timeless.
Great share Sgt. Steve MacFarland thank you and LTC Ford.
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The Hollies - He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother
May this be our theme-song for 2020
SPC Jon O. CPT Scott Sharon SSG Michael Noll
SPC Woody Bullard Sgt David G Duchesneau Maj Kim Patterson PO3 (Join to see) SSG Shavonde Chase PO2 Robert M. SPC Nancy Greene PO3 Lynn Spalding SFC(P) (Join to see) 1SG Frank Boynton SPC Michael Oles SR LTC Monte Anderson SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM MAJ Ken Landgren SFC Jack Champion MGySgt (Join to see) CWO3 (Join to see)
May this be our theme-song for 2020
SPC Jon O. CPT Scott Sharon SSG Michael Noll
SPC Woody Bullard Sgt David G Duchesneau Maj Kim Patterson PO3 (Join to see) SSG Shavonde Chase PO2 Robert M. SPC Nancy Greene PO3 Lynn Spalding SFC(P) (Join to see) 1SG Frank Boynton SPC Michael Oles SR LTC Monte Anderson SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM MAJ Ken Landgren SFC Jack Champion MGySgt (Join to see) CWO3 (Join to see)
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