He Was My Brother
Simon Lyrics


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He was my brother
Five years older than I
He was my brother
Twenty-three years old the day he died

Freedom writer
They cursed my brother to his face
"Go home, outsider
This town's gonna be your buryin' place"

He was singin' on his knees
An angry mob trailed along
They shot my brother dead
Because he hated what was wrong

He was my brother
Tears can't bring him back to me
He, he was my brother




And he died so his brothers could be free
He died so his brothers could be free

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of He Was My Brother by Simon & Garfunkel recount the story of a young man who was killed because of his commitment to social justice. The opening lines set the stage; the singer was five years younger than the person being mourned, but the two were siblings nonetheless. The third line of the song indicates that the man who died was only twenty-three, adding to the sense of tragedy that permeates the song.


The second verse provides additional context for the man's death; he was a "freedom writer," someone who was passionate about political and social change. This put him at odds with the people of the town where he was living, who saw him as an outsider and a threat. The fact that they "cursed him to his face" suggests that the tension between the man and the townspeople had been building for some time. The refrain reinforces the idea that the man's death was not just a personal tragedy, but a sacrifice he made for the greater good. By dying, he allowed his brothers to be free- though of course, this freedom came at a great a price.


Overall, this song is a moving tribute to a person who gave his life for what he believed in. It speaks to the power of convictions, and the price that some people must pay in order to fight for justice.


Line by Line Meaning

He was my brother
The singer is emphasizing the familial connection between himself and his brother.


Five years older than I
The singer is noting the age gap between himself and his brother.


He was my brother
This line serves to reinforce the kinship between the singer and his brother.


Twenty-three years old the day he died
The artist is specifying the age of his brother at the time of his death.


Freedom writer
This is a descriptor of the artist's brother, emphasizing his involvement in the civil rights movement.


They cursed my brother to his face
The singer is recounting a moment when his brother was verbally abused by someone in the community.


"Go home, outsider
This quote is a further example of the discrimination that the singer's brother faced as an outsider in their community.


This town's gonna be your buryin' place"
This is a direct threat against the artist's brother.


He was singin' on his knees
This line refers to an event in which the artist's brother was likely participating in a nonviolent protest, potentially alongside other civil rights activists.


An angry mob trailed along
Here, the artist is portraying the hostility and danger of the situation surrounding his brother's death.


They shot my brother dead
The singer is recounting the moment his brother was killed as an act of violence arising from the situation he was in.


Because he hated what was wrong
The artist is drawing attention to his brother's underlying motivation, which was to fight against injustice and discrimination.


He was my brother
Again, the singer underscores his relationship with his deceased brother.


Tears can't bring him back to me
This line acknowledges the grief and loss felt by the singer and his family.


He, he was my brother
Once more emphasizing the familial bond between the singer and his brother.


And he died so his brothers could be free
The artist is pointing to his brother's cause as being the struggle for civil rights and the freedom of all oppressed people.




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Paul Simon

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

LB2007

I happened to be listening to this song on my way to dad's hospital when mom called and told me he had passed away a few minutes ago. I would've loved to be present at dad's last moment but at least S&G's beautiful songs kept me through the rest of the long sad drive. Their music, especially "He Was My Brother," will forever remain special in my memory.

C

❤️🙌🏻!

MsBonnie58

This is one of my favourites by them, a tribute to all our boys & girls out fighting for freedom

AnnaMargolin

This song was written as a tribute to the three freedom riders/civil rights workers who were killed in 1964. Two of them were from Queens, the previous residence of Simon and Garfunkel.

Janice Lefever

I remember...

ken goldberg

João de Arruda Campos Cardoso Dedicated the song to them

Øyvind Berntsen

Lost my father's brother today. I came to listen to this song and cry a little

Adam Moreira

The song is about Andrew Goodman, who was killed earlier in 1964 in Mississippi; Simon and Garfunkel had been classmates with Goodman at Queens College.

Chikn

@ManifoldSky Whoever wrote the comment you responded to deleted it for what I’m assuming was a good reason

David St

How do you know that sir?

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