Songs about siblings

I've been thinking about sibling relationships recently, in a few different contexts. Musicians like this theme, too, sometimes in a very sad, achey-breaky kind of way.

I have five favourite songs about (at some level or another) sibling relationships. They're all people singing about their brothers. I suppose I favour them because I have brothers myself. At least two of them (one and three) are heartbreakingly sad.

One: Famous Blue Raincoat



My favourite version of a very favourite song. "And what can I tell you my brother, my killer/ What can I possibly say?/ I guess that I miss you, I guess I forgive you / I'm glad you stood in my way."

Two: Boss of Me



This one might be my younger brother's theme song for me, maybe :-) "You're not the boss of me now, and you're not so big..."

Three: Over in the West



I first heard this song on The Panel, and I just love it so much.

"But oh my brother when they ask of you / I just smile and say who cares? / He's over in the west and I don't know where / And though we are entwined I say / He's over in the west / Forever out of sight, but never out of mind..."

Four: He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother



My Dad used to sing this when I hefted my then-toddler brother around as a 10-year-old. Memreez etc.

Five: You and Your Sister



By This Mortal Coil, a big favourite ... with a nod to the older sister's take on a no-good girlfriend.


I feel like I might have some poems about sibling relationships in slow germination at the moment. We'll have to see what grows.