The road is long,
with many a winding turn
that leads us to who-knows-where?
Who knows when?
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.

– Bobby Scott and Bob Russell
Scott and Russell had been introduced to each other by Johnny Mercer* at a California nightclub. Despite the fact that Russell was dying of cancer of the lymph nodes and that the pair saw each other only 3 times, they managed to write this song together. It reached #7 in the U.S. in 1969. Elton John played piano.
*Johnny Mercer wrote the lyrics to more than 1,000 songs, including compositions for movies and Broadway shows. He received 19 Academy Award nominations and was a co-founder of Capitol Records.