Based on the "Boys Town" logo Bob Russell (NOT the writer of "Honey", "Little Green Apples", "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia", "Sure Gonna Miss Her", etc) composed "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" (Scott - Russell) along with Bob Scott who also composed "A Taste of Honey". It was recorded first in 1969 by Capitol Records executive Kelly Gordon who wrote the top ten Frank Sinatra hit "That's Life".

Reg Dwight (Elton John) plays piano on The Hollies (Hicks, Clarke, Elliott, Sylvester and so many others) top ten cover which came four months after the original recording.