What does it mean?

[SAISAY]

We were watching the Grand Finale of The Voice.
Harrison was our favourite right from the start.
Loved the duet with Seal.
So here it comes:

I have always wondered what it means

"He ain't heavy
He's my brother"?

[Sturdee]

From Wikepedia.:

Origin of the title

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"; variations on the phrase are attested as early as 1884.[3] The phrase is also associated with Father Edward J. Flanagan, the founder of Boys Town. Flanagan came across a line drawing of a young boy carrying his brother in the Christmas 1941 edition of the Louis Allis Messenger. The caption read "He ain't heavy Mister—he's m' brother!" It was created by Mr. Van B. Hooper who later became the editor of Ideals. The drawing was reprinted in the first issue of Ideals in December 1944. Flanagan felt that the drawing illustrated the work done at Boys Town and received permission from the company in August 1943 to recreate the drawing in color with the caption "He ain't heavy, Father . . . he's m' brother." The phrase became the motto of Boys Town.


In an 1918 publication by Ralph Waldo Trine titled "The Higher Powers of Mind and Spirit" he 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.'"


It was also reported through the media of the time that the song was written by a Vietnam veteran. He and his company were approaching a town after it had been bombed. A little boy was carrying the dead body of a younger boy away from the burning village. One of the soldiers asked the boy if the dead child was heavy. The child responded, "He's not heavy, he's my brother."


The statement is a use of paraprosdokian, a figure of speech in which the second half of the statement causes the hearer to reinterpret the first part. Often used for comedic effect, this is a rare use of the form as pathos.

This is probably more then you wanted to know.


Peter.

[SAISAY]

Actually, that was rather interesting.
Thank you Peter

[DaveTTC]

interesting, I had hear Vietnam a young girl carrying her brother who had his legs blown off but he was still alive. and the rest of the story similar to those above

[AlexS]

The statement is a use of paraprosdokian, a figure of speech in which the second half of the statement causes the hearer to reinterpret the first part.

Thanks for that. I shall look forward to seeing that in the DA cryptic crossword, in a couple of weeks time.

[tea lady]

Thanks for that. I shall look forward to seeing that in the DA cryptic crossword, in a couple of weeks time.

Could be the only word I get.