As the son of a vicar, he had his first singing experiences in a church choir. He attended Ripon College, where he also sang non-professionally with a group called the Indigos, and graduated in 1962. He went on to earn a master's degree in Vocational Rehabilitation from the University of Iowa, and worked as a rehabilitation counselor in San Francisco before joining a small jazz club trio headed by George Duke and deciding that he would make professional singing his life in 1968
He appeared in such Los Angeles hot spots as Dino's, the Troubador and Bitter End West. Television exposure came from Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin and David Frost, while he expanded his nightclub appearances to include performing at the Improv between the acts of such rising-star comics as Bette Midler, Jimmie Walker, and John Belushi, among others.
He was spotted by Warner Bros. in 1975 and soon thereafter released his critically acclaimed debut album, We Got By, which catapulted him into international fame and garnered him a German Grammy Award. A second German Grammy would follow with the release of his second album, Glow.
One of Jarreau's most commercially and artistically successful albums is Breakin' Away (1981), which includes the hit song "We're in This Love Together." He wrote and performed the Grammy-nominated theme to the 1980s American television show Moonlighting. Among other things, he is well-known for his scat singing and the ability to perfectly imitate conventional guitar, bass and percussive instrumentation. He was also a featured vocalist on USA for Africa's "We are the World" and sang the line, "...and so we all must lend a helping hand."
He has toured and performed with such greats as Joe Sample, Kathleen Battle, Miles Davis, David Sanborn and Rick Braun. He also performed the role of the Teen Angel in a 1996 Broadway production of Grease. On March 6, 2001 he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His star is located at 7083 Hollywood Boulevard on the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and La Brea Avenue.
Here I Am
Al Jarreau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The way that you make me feel.
A burning deep down inside,
A love that I cannot hide.
Our love is you and me baby,
That makes the world go round.
And if you've been doin' lovin' with me,
Layin' all my troubles down,
Come and take me.
Here I am, baby,
Come and take me,
Take me by the hand.
Show me,
Here I am, baby.
It always ends up this way,
Me begging you every day.
A love that I cannot have,
You broke my heart into half.
Our love is you and me baby,
That make's the world go round.
And if you've been doin' lovin' with me,
Layin' all my troubles down,
Here I am, baby,
Come and take me,
Here I am, baby,
Come and take me,
Take me by the hand.
Show me,
Here I am, baby.
When I'm down I can always call you,
For a helpin' hand.
I know you'll do the best you can.
But it don't take much from me,
Just my cup of joe.
Oh there's love inside me,
I believe there's one to be explodin',
It's tough for me, oh baby,
I can do worry,
Tell me all your troubles.
You won't ever have to worry now,
Just one more thing, ask everybody,
Everybody you see,
You'll find yourselve lost and alone on a darkened street,
Here I am, baby,
Come and take me.
Here I am, baby,
Come and take me,
Take me by the hand.
Show me,
Here I am, baby
The lyrics to Al Jarreau's song Here I Am Baby tell a story of a man deeply in love with someone who may not feel the same way. The lyrics express his vulnerability and honesty about his feelings towards the person he loves. The first verse talks about the way this person makes him feel, burning deep inside, a love he cannot hide. He emphasizes that their love is what makes the world go round and that by loving him, she takes all his troubles away. He begs for her to come and take him, to show him that she feels the same way.
The second verse is a bit more somber, as he reflects on the fact that he is always begging for her love, which seems to be unattainable. She broke his heart into half, yet he still can't help but love her deeply. He reiterates how their love is what makes the world go round and that he wants her to come and take him, to show him that they can make it work.
The bridge talks about how he can always call her for help and that he knows she'll do the best she can. He doesn't need much, just his cup of joe. He believes that there is love inside him that needs to explode, but it's tough for him because he worries too much. He asks her to tell him all her troubles, and he promises that she won't have to worry anymore. He ends the song by telling her that he's here, waiting for her to take him, as she wanders the darkened street alone.
Overall, the lyrics to Here I Am Baby are a pleading love song, expressing the singer's feelings of deep love towards someone he may not be able to attain. It's a vulnerable and raw confession of love that many people can relate to.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't believe that it's real,
I am amazed that this love I am experiencing is actually real.
The way that you make me feel.
The emotions you evoke in me are powerful and intense.
A burning deep down inside,
There is a passionate fire within me, ignited by my love for you.
A love that I cannot hide.
My love for you is so strong that it cannot be concealed or kept secret.
Our love is you and me baby,
The love we share is between only you and me, and it is what makes the world go round.
That makes the world go round.
Our love is what provides the meaning and purpose in life.
And if you've been doin' lovin' with me,
If you too have experienced the intense love we share,
Layin' all my troubles down,
Then you know that being with me helps you forget all your worries and problems.
Here I am, baby,
I am here for you, no matter what.
Come and take me.
Come to me and take me into your arms, because I am yours.
Take me by the hand.
Lead me through life and guide me, because by your side is where I want to be.
Show me,
Teach me and help me to understand the depth of our love.
It always ends up this way,
Our relationship always seems to follow this pattern.
Me begging you every day.
I find myself constantly pleading with you for your love and affection.
A love that I cannot have,
I yearn for a love that seems unattainable or out of reach.
You broke my heart into half.
Your rejection has hurt me deeply and shattered my heart into pieces.
When I'm down I can always call you,
When I am at my lowest, I know I can rely on you for comfort and support.
For a helpin' hand.
I know you will extend a helping hand to lift me up and guide me through my troubles.
I know you'll do the best you can.
I have faith in your ability to provide me with the best care and attention possible.
But it don't take much from me,
There is very little I need to be content in life.
Just my cup of joe.
All I need is a simple cup of coffee to be satisfied and happy.
Oh there's love inside me,
I am filled with love and compassion for others.
I believe there's one to be explodin',
I know that there is even more love within me waiting to be unleashed and shared with someone special.
It's tough for me, oh baby,
It can be difficult for me to express my feelings and emotions, but I am trying my best.
I can do worry,
I am capable of worrying and becoming anxious, just like anyone else.
Tell me all your troubles.
I want to be there for you and help you through any problems or difficulties you may be facing.
You won't ever have to worry now,
I will always be here to support you and ease your worries.
Just one more thing, ask everybody,
One more thing I want to ask of you is to seek advice and guidance from those around you.
Everybody you see,
Anyone you come across who can offer you support and assistance.
You'll find yourselve lost and alone on a darkened street,
If you refuse to seek help from others, you may find yourself feeling lost and alone in a scary and uncertain world.
Here I am, baby,
I am here for you no matter what, and I always will be.
Come and take me.
Take my love and affection, because it is all yours.
Take me by the hand.
Lead me through life and share your journey with me.
Show me,
Teach me and guide me to be the best version of myself.
Here I am, baby.
I am yours, and you are mine.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: AL L. GREEN, MABON HODGES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind