The Hollies

[Lindsey O]

Does anyone know the origins of The Hollies song ' He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother'? What is about?

[andy hughes]

My memory is a bit hazy, but as I recall, the song's writer was visitng a particularly poor area of the world, and saw a little pauper child carrying an even smaller child in a piggy-back. Since the older child had barely enough flesh on his frame to support his own weight, it seemed a miracle he could carry another child as well. When asked, the child explained with the touching and inspirational observation "He's not heavy mister, he's my brother." and so the lyric was born, and brotherly love was imortalised - such is the power of pop music.

[Tom Phillips]

I seem to think its connected with a famous statue in America somewhere, of a guy carrying someone else and the inscription on the base says " he ain't heavy he's my brother".

[alangclark]

I'm pretty sure it's from a film about Boys Town in Nebraska.

But definitely not "Boys Town" which I saw a few days ago, maybe "Men of Boys Town".

I've seen a review of "Boys Town" that says "He aint heavy ..." is quoted in it, but it isn't!

The scene around the quote is of one boy carrying another, walking towards Boys Town.
They are offered a lift, but the carrier says ...

In "Boys Town" the statue seems to be of a child holding out his hends as if asking for help.
Maybe it has changed in "Men of Boys Town" or which ever film it was really quoted in, I don't know.