What are you listening to right now?

[Blackleaf]

The Hollies - "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" (1969)

In 1969, when British pop and rock dominated the world, the Manchester band The Hollies had a Top 10 hit in Britain, America and other countries with this global megahit.

The year after - 1970 - American musician Neil Diamond had a hit with his cover of the song.

In his 1884 book The Parables of Jesus, James Wells, Moderator of the United Free Church of Scotland, tells the story of a little girl carrying a big baby boy. Seeing her struggling, someone asked if she was tired. With surprise she replied: "No, he's not heavy; he's my brother."

It's thought that the boy had polio and had leg braces. In the decades that followed, the true story of a young girl displaying immense love to her brother became legendary in the United Kingdom.

 

[Blackleaf]

The Tremeloes - "Here Comes My Baby" (1967)

In the decade that post-war Britain was swinging, the London band had a hit with this written by British singer-songwriter Cat Stevens

 

[Blackleaf]

Jamiroquai - "Deeper Underground" (1998)

The London acid jazz band scored a huge hit around the world with their soundtrack to the 1998 American movie "Godzilla"...

 

[Blackleaf]

Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich - "Bend It" (1966)

The Salisbury rockers scored a No2 hit with this in September 1966, just after England won the World Cup and postwar Britain was swinging and feeling good after several years of hardship...

 

[Blackleaf]

The Crazy World of Arthur Brown - "Fire" (1968)

Another video of the hit song from the London rockers, which can be considered a forerunner of heavy metal.

Like The Rolling Stones, the masked band are still performing today, seemingly living forever.

Nowadays, most people wouldn't bat an eyelid to such a such and such a video. But in 1968 both were shocking...