Here I Am (Come and Take Me)

"Here I Am (Come and Take Me)"
Single by Al Green
from the album Call Me
B-side	"I'm Glad You're Mine"
Released	June 1973
Recorded	1972
Genre	Soul [1]
Length	4:14
Label	Hi Records
Songwriters	Al Green Mabon Hodges
Producer	Willie Mitchell
Al Green singles chronology
"Call Me (Come Back Home)" (1973) "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)" (1973) "Livin' for You" (1973)

"Here I Am (Come and Take Me)" is a 1973 song by Al Green, the second single released from his album Call Me . The song reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the Hot Soul Singles chart. It was certified as a gold record by the Recording Industry Association of America. A 1990 cover, by British reggae-pop band UB40, reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100.

Composition and recording

Green wrote "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)" with Teenie Hodges, with whom he also collaborated in writing "Take Me to the River," "Love and Happiness," "Full of Fire," and other songs. It was produced by Willie Mitchell in the 1972 recording session for the album Call Me .

Chart performance

Hi Records released the song as a single in June 1973, with "I'm Glad You're Mine" on the B-side. It was the second single from Call Me, after the title track. The record reached number 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and received a gold certification, having sold more than 500,000 copies. ^{[2] [3]}

Weekly charts Chart (1973) Peak position Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [4] 67 US Billboard Hot 100 [2] 10 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [5] 2

Year-end charts Chart (1973) Position US Billboard Hot 100 [6] 63

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [3]	Gold	1,000,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

UB40 version

"Here I Am (Come and Take Me)"
Single by UB40
from the album Labour of Love II
B-side	"Crisis"
Released	January 15, 1990 (1990-01-15)
Genre	Reggae [1]
Length	4:00
Label	DEP International
Songwriters	Al Green Mabon Hodges
Producer	UB40
UB40 singles chronology
"The Way You Do the Things You Do" (1990) "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)" (1990) "Impossible Love" (1991)

In 1990, British reggae-pop band UB40 released a cover of "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)" as the second single from their ninth studio album, Labour of Love II , in January 1990. It stalled at number 46 on the UK Singles Chart but proved to be more successful elsewhere, peaking at number three in Australia, number six in New Zealand, and number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100. In Australia, it placed at number 24 on the 1991 year-end chart, while in the United States, it was ranked number 72 on the 1991 year-end chart.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1990–1991)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA) [7]	3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [8]	34
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [9]	43
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [10]	73
France (SNEP) [11]	14
Ireland (IRMA) [12]	22
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [13]	8
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [14]	9
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [15]	6
UK Singles (OCC) [16]	46
US Billboard Hot 100 [17]	7
US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) [18]	44
US Alternative Airplay ( Billboard ) [19]	6

Year-end charts

Chart (1990)	Position
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [20]	75
Chart (1991)	Position
Australia (ARIA) [21]	24
US Billboard Hot 100 [22]	72

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [21]	Gold	35,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ) [23]	Platinum	30,000‡
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United Kingdom	January 15, 1990	—	DEP International	[24]
Australia	March 19, 1990	7-inch vinyl 12-inch vinyl cassette	DEP International Virgin	[25]
Australia (re-release)	July 29, 1991	CD cassette	Virgin	[26]

Other cover versions

The song has also been covered by such performers as Michael Jackson, Etta James, and Seal. Several reggae versions have been recorded, including by Marcia Griffiths, Pluto Shervington, Owen Gray, and Inner Circle. ^[27]

References

1. Breihan, Tom (February 11, 2022). "The Number Ones: UB40's "(I Can't Help) Falling In Love With You". Stereogum . Retrieved November 17, 2024.
2. "Al Green Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
3. "American single certifications – Al Green – Here I Am (Come & Take Me)". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved September 18, 2020.
4. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4917." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 25, 2025.
5. "Al Green Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
6. "Billboard Top 100 – 1973". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
7. "UB40 – Here I Am (Come and Take Me)". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
8. "UB40 – Here I Am (Come and Take Me)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
9. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1582." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
10. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 8, no. 43. October 26, 1991. p. 33. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
11. "UB40 – Here I Am (Come and Take Me)" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
12. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Here I Am". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
13. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 11, 1990" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
14. "UB40 – Here I Am (Come and Take Me)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
15. "UB40 – Here I Am (Come and Take Me)". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
16. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
17. "UB40 Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
18. "UB40 Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
19. "UB40 Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
20. "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1990". Dutch Top 40 . Retrieved May 15, 2020.
21. "1991 ARIA Singles Chart". ARIA . Retrieved November 6, 2019.
22. "1991 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles" (PDF). Billboard . Vol. 103, no. 51. December 21, 1991. p. YE-14. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
23. "New Zealand single certifications – UB40 – Here I Am (Come And Take Me)". Radioscope. Retrieved October 8, 2025.Type Here I Am (Come And Take Me) in the "Search:" field.
24. "Releases". Record Mirror . January 13, 1990. p. 27.
25. "New Release Summary: Singles". The ARIA Report . No. 10. March 18, 1990. p. 19.
26. "New Release Summary – Product Available from: 29/07/91: Singles". The ARIA Report. No. 79. July 28, 1991. p. 19.
27. "Call Me Al". Versions Galore. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2013.