Jamaican singer Ken Parker was born around 1948 (there is some confusion as… Read Full Bio ↴Jamaican singer Ken Parker was born around 1948 (there is some confusion as to his birth year), growing up in Savannah-La-Mar in the Westmoreland Parrish area of Jamaica, where his father was a preacher. Parker was exposed early to the effects of gospel music, and he drew on gospel inflections in his vocals throughout his whole career. His first group was The Blues Benders, formed in 1965, but by 1967 he was a solo act, recording sides for most of the big Jamaican producers of the day, including Coxsone Dodd ("My Whole World Is Falling Down" was recorded at Studio One and was a huge hit on the island in 1969), Duke Reid ("True, True, True," one of Parker's finest sides, was recorded at Treasure Isle, as was "Jimmy Brown"), Bunny Lee, Rupie Edwards, Byron Lee, Joe Gibbs, and Lloyd Charmers (Parker recorded a fine version of Curtis Mayfield's "Queen Majesty" for Charmers). In time Parker became somewhat disillusioned with the workings of the Jamaican music scene and relocated to the U.K., where since the 1980s he has run his own label and production company.

Here I Am
Ken Parker Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I can't believe that it's real,
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 make 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, oh
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, yeah, yeah
That make's the world go round.
And if you've been doin' lovin' with me,
Layin' all my troubles down, yeah

Here I am, baby,
Come and take me,
Here I am, baby,
Come and take me,
Take me by the hand, yeah
Squeeze it
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 for my cup of Joe.

Oh there's love inside me,
I believe there's one to be an explosion,
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, oh no, no
You'll find yourselves lost and alone on a dark end of the street,

Here I am, baby,
Come and take me.
Here I am, baby,
Come and take me,
Take me by the hand.
Show me, take me, won't ya
Show me
Here I am, baby
Take me
Teach me

Won't you take me by the hand
Teach me

Overall Meaning

The song "Here I Am" by Ken Parker is a beautiful love ballad that expresses the intense emotions of the singer towards his lover. The song conveys a profound sense of longing and vulnerability, as he confesses his uncontainable feelings for his beloved. The lyrics show that the singer is deeply affected by his partner's love and care, and he cannot hide the burning passion he has inside himself. The love between the two characters makes the world go round, and the singer admits that his troubles vanish when he is with his lover.

The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Here I am, baby, come and take me" several times, indicating the singer's willingness to surrender himself entirely to his partner. The longing and desperation in his voice, as he pleads for his lover to take him, creates a sense of authenticity and vulnerability that appeals to the listener's emotions. The song's final verses reveal the depth of the singer's love, as he promises to be there for his lover, no matter what happens, and asks for help, just a hand to hold, or a warm cup of coffee to comfort him. The song captures the essence of true love, the joy, the pain, the longing, and the sacrificial nature of it, in a remarkable way.

Line by Line Meaning

I can't believe that it's real,
I am amazed that our love is actually happening.

The way that you make me feel.
You make me feel so special and loved.

A burning deep down inside,
I have a passionate flame for you deep inside my heart.

A love that I cannot hide.
My love for you is so strong that I cannot hide it.

Our love is you and me baby,
We are in love, and our love is what keeps the world spinning.

That make the world go round.
Our love is so powerful that it keeps the world happy and moving.

And if you've been doin' lovin' with me,
If you have been loving me recently,

Layin' all my troubles down,
You have been helping me free myself from worries and stress.

Here I am, baby,
I am here, and I am ready for you.

Come and take me.
Come and take me into your loving arms.

Take me by the hand, oh
Lead me through the journey of life with your hand in mine, oh.

It always ends up this way,
It seems like it always ends up with me asking for your love.

Me begging you every day.
I constantly ask for your love and attention every day.

A love that I cannot have,
I love you so much, but I cannot seem to have you.

You broke my heart into half.
You have caused great pain and heartache by not loving me back.

When I'm down I can always call you,
Whenever I am feeling low, I know I can depend on you to be there.

For a helpin' hand.
You always reach out to provide me with assistance when I need it most.

I know you'll do the best you can.
I have confidence in your ability to help me and do your best.

But it don't take much from me,
I don't need much from you,

Just for my cup of Joe.
Just a cup of coffee is all I require to keep me happy.

Oh there's love inside me,
I have so much love within me,

I believe there's one to be an explosion,
I feel like my love for you is overwhelming and could explode at any moment.

It's tough for me, oh baby,
It is challenging for me, darling,

I can do worry,
I often worry and stress over our love.

Tell me all your troubles.
Share with me all of your problems and let me help you.

You won't ever have to worry now,
I promise you that you will never have to stress or worry on your own again.

Just one more thing, ask everybody,
There is just one more thing I want to ask of you, please ask everyone you see.

Everybody you see, oh no, no
Everyone you come across, oh no, no

You'll find yourselves lost and alone on a dark end of the street,
If you do not help me and love me, then you will find yourself lost and alone in a dark, sad place.

Squeeze it
Please hold me tight and never let go.

Teach me
Teach me all about your love and how to make it grow stronger.

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Al Green, Mabon Hodges

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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