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He ain’t heavy; he’s my brother

Dec 27, 2015 Features / Columnists, Letters, The GHK Lall Column

Dear Editor,
I am in full concurrence with Freddie’s view of the present day situation in Guyana particularly as it pertains to the song, “He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother”. Confessedly, I am a lover of this music ballad, the amorous roots of which germinated while residing in England in the mid 1960’s. There are still various versions surrounding the origin of this song which came out during the Vietnam War. Television reports stated that the song was written by a Vietnam veteran who while walking with his troop, came upon a little boy carrying his brother from a burning village that had just been bombed. The little boy was asked if the body was heavy, to which the response came “he’s not heavy, he’s my brother”. There is also a film titled “Bells of St. Mary’s”, where actor Spencer Tracy portrays a priest at a home for troubled boys, and he is carrying a man, when someone asks him, “ Isn’t he too heavy for you to carry Father,” to which Spencer replies,” No son, he’s not heavy , he’s my brother”. It is said that Bobby Russell wrote the song in 1970 while dying of cancer in Los Angeles, and it has been covered by a plethora of artists in subsequent years. Nowadays one hears this song at funerals, but in my opinion it is one of the most uplifting messages to humans that were ever recorded.
Freddie dedicates the song to the Guyanese people while making an impassioned plea during this season of goodwill to be both human and humane. It is innately clear that the lyrics do not refer to our biological brothers, but instead to the family of Man. Taking into full account the present day struggle in Guyana even to survive the message then takes on a more serious nature. Philippians 2:4 states thus: “None of you should look out just for your own good. You should also look out for the good of others.” Will this message have any takers? Are we not our brothers’ keepers? My fellow citizens as we sit on the cusp of an approaching New Year we cannot allow the feelings invoked by this song, along with Freddie’s dedication and invocation to fall on deaf ears or hard hearts. Let us all be encouraged by the words of our Father, “For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land’.” (Deuteronomy 15:11).)
Yvonne Sam.

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