The song, which serves as the album's third single, was solicited to Australian radio on 9 October 2013 and later released on 28 October 2013 in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In March 2014, a version of the track remixed by Avicii himself was released on his remix album "True (Avicii by Avicii)", this time featuring new vocals from singer Salem Al Fakir.
On 1 November 2013, the lyric video for "Hey Brother" was released onto YouTube by AviciiOfficialVEVO. The video is an assortment of stock footage clips depicting regular people and obscure events in normal everyday life such as playing basketball, Aundrea Fimbres with her face off screen having a light snack on chocolate and an olive, popcorn popping, and having a snowball fight, all in slow motion and accompanied by an animated text representation of the lyrics.
In the United Kingdom, after climbing for several weeks, "Hey Brother" peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart on 15 December 2013 ― for the week ending dated 21 December 2013 ― being held off the top spot by Lily Allen's cover of "Somewhere Only We Know". It eventually spent 22 weeks in the top 40 ― 10 of which were in the top 10. In addition, "Hey Brother" peaked at the top of the UK Dance Chart. Including previous releases "I Could Be the One", "Wake Me Up" and "You Make Me", Avicii therefore reached the summit of the UK Dance Chart four times in 2013 alone. The song spent a total of six weeks at the top spot on the UK Dance Chart, ended by "Rather Be" by Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne.
In the United States, the song entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number 77 in December 2013. It continued climbing and rose to number 16 in March 2014, and reached a million in total sales that week. After Clear Channel personnel noticed the song's success at pop and adult pop radio, they asked Island Def Jam to craft a remix that showcases the song's instruments more prominently. Support for this remix enabled "Hey Brother" to debut, and peak, at number 59 on Billboard's Country Airplay chart in March 2014. The song would become Avicii's final song to hit the top 40 before his death in 2018.
Hey Brother
Avicii Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey sister! Know the water's sweet but blood is thicker
Oh, if the sky comes falling down, for you
There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do
Hey brother! Do you still believe in one another?
Hey sister! Do you still believe in love? I wonder
Oh, if the sky comes falling down, for you
What if I'm far from home?
Oh brother, I will hear you call
What if I lose it all?
Oh sister, I will help you out
Oh, if the sky comes falling down, for you
There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do
Hey brother! There's an endless road to rediscover
Hey sister! Do you still believe in love? I wonder
Oh, if the sky comes falling down, for you
There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do
What if I'm far from home?
Oh brother, I will hear you call
What if I lose it all?
Oh sister, I will help you out
Oh, if the sky comes falling down, for you
There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do
Avicii's song "Hey Brother" is a touching tribute to the bond and loyalty between siblings. The lyrics remind us that life is unpredictable and the future uncertain, but one thing we can count on is the unwavering support of those we love. The song opens with the lines, "Hey brother! There's an endless road to rediscover. Hey sister! Know the water's sweet but blood is thicker." Here, Avicii stresses the importance of valuing familial relationships over other distractions that might appear more alluring but ultimately lack depth.
Avicii goes on to consider the what-if scenarios that might arise in life. "What if I'm far from home? Oh, brother, I will hear you call. What if I lose it all? Oh, sister, I will help you out." He acknowledges that sometimes, life can be tough, and we may be faced with difficult times where we question our own strength. But he assures us that familial love is unbreakable and no obstacle is too great for it to overcome.
Overall, "Hey Brother" is a touching and powerful reminder of the importance of familial love and support through life's ups and downs.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey brother! There's an endless road to rediscover
The journey of life is long and can often be repetitive, but there is always something new to discover and learn.
Hey sister! Know the water's sweet but blood is thicker
While friendships and other relationships can be sweet, the bond of family is even stronger and more important.
Oh, if the sky comes falling down, for you
There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do
No matter what happens, the singer will do everything in their power to support and help the person they are addressing.
Hey brother! Do you still believe in one another?
The singer is questioning whether the bond between them and their brother is still as strong and true as it used to be.
Hey sister! Do you still believe in love? I wonder
The singer is questioning if their sister still believes in the power and importance of love.
What if I'm far from home?
Oh brother, I will hear you call
Even if the singer is physically far away from their brother, they will always be there to support and listen to them.
What if I lose it all?
Oh sister, I will help you out
Even if the singer loses everything and is at their lowest point, they will still help and support their sister in any way possible.
Hey sister! Do you still believe in love? I wonder
The singer is questioning if their sister still believes in the power and importance of love.
Oh, if the sky comes falling down, for you
There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do
No matter what happens, the singer will do everything in their power to support and help the person they are addressing.
Hey brother! There's an endless road to rediscover
The journey of life is long and can often be repetitive, but there is always something new to discover and learn.
Hey sister! Do you still believe in love? I wonder
The singer is questioning if their sister still believes in the power and importance of love.
Oh, if the sky comes falling down, for you
There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do
No matter what happens, the singer will do everything in their power to support and help the person they are addressing.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ash Pournouri, Salem Al Fakir, Tim Bergling, Veronica Maggio, Vincent Fred Pontare
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@RichardEC93
2013: Hey Brother ☺️
2018: Bye Brother 😔
2024: I Miss You Brother ☹️
@brendandell2885
69th like
@zdragi9551
Yes
@anhuynh7680
Yes
@34yannis
😥
@justaguywithaphone6346
;-; same
@joyce_915
My brother sat me beside him, looked in my eyes and played this song. I was going through a divorce and had lost everything due to a mental health crisis. A year ago, I lost my brother to Fentanyl. This song allows me to still see his eyes. I miss my brother, the only man in my 50 years, that never betrayed me...and was always there! I love you brother! Xo
@niomisingh8871
Rip to him. I’m sorry for your loss. I hate fentanyl😢
@TracyDurso-uv8tg
My condolences & sympathy to you on the tragic loss of your beloved Brother.
@redroses6522
Rip 😢