Come with Me Now
{{Infobox song
| name = Come with Me Now
| cover = Kongos Come with Me Now.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Kongos
| album = Lunatic
| released = July 31, 2012
| recorded = 2011
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = * Alternative rock
- kwaito{{cite web|url=http://www.sonic1029.com/2014/02/14/new-on-sonic-this-week-14/|title=New on SONiC This Week!|work=Sonic 102.9|publisher=Rogers Radio|date=February 14, 2014|access-date=April 10, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140827040548/http://www.sonic1029.com/2014/02/14/new-on-sonic-this-week-14/|archive-date=August 27, 2014|url-status=dead}}
| length = 3:31
| label = * Tokoloshe
- Epic
- Rock All Night Productions LLC
| writer = * Johnny Kongos
- Dylan Kongos
| producer = Kongos
| prev_title = I'm Only Joking
| prev_year = 2011
| next_title = I Want to Know
| next_year = 2012
| misc = {{External music video|1= {{YouTube|Gz2GVlQkn4Q|"Come with Me Now"}}|header=}}
}}
"Come with Me Now" is a song by South African American{{cite news |author1=Lester, Paul |title=Kongos (No 1,738) Band of the Week |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/apr/09/kongos |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=11 December 2018 |date=9 April 2014 |quote=they've got Greek blood, grew up in South Africa and the UK and now live in the States}} band Kongos. Initially released to iTunes in December 2012 as a single from their album Lunatic,{{cite web |url=https://music.apple.com/za/album/come-with-me-now-single/588030619 |title=Come With Me Now - Single |date= December 15, 2012 |work=iTunes}} "Come with Me Now" earned commercial success in the United States in 2014, eventually peaking at number one on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/1493233/kongos|title=Kongos - Chart history - Billboard|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|access-date=April 5, 2014}} and becoming their first charting single in the United States.
Background and release
In 2011, Kongos released their album Lunatic, which featured "Come with Me Now" which was released as a single. With the band performing the song live while opening for American band Linkin Park in South Africa, "Come with Me Now" was considered a fan favorite there though it initially struggled to find an audience in the United States. The band admitted that when "it didn't seem like things were getting along we really lost heart – we were ready to move on to new material".
In early January 2014, the song began receiving airplay in the US, generating major label attention for the band which was eventually signed to Epic Records.{{cite magazine|last=Lipshutz|first=Jason|title=Kongos Scores Fastest Top 10 Alternative Debut Single Since Lorde's 'Royals'|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop-shop/5937501/kongos-scores-fastest-top-10-alternative-debut-single-since-lordes|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|date=March 14, 2014|access-date=March 17, 2014}} It was released to US contemporary hit radio on 15 April 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.allaccess.com/top40-mainstream/future-releases |title=Top 40/M Future Releases |publisher=All Access Music Group |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413195804/http://www.allaccess.com/top40-mainstream/future-releases |archivedate=13 April 2014 |url-status=dead }} The song appears on the soundtrack of the movie The Expendables 3.
The song was released in the UK as the lead single off Lunatic on August 17, 2014.
Composition
"Come with Me Now" has been described by Billboard as an "accordion-tinged" rock song. Members of the band themselves say that the song is heavily influenced by kwaito music, which is described as being a blend of South African jazz, township pop, and Western house music. It was written by keyboard/accordion player Johnny Kongos and singer/bassist Dylan Kongos.
Commercial performance
On April 9, 2014, "Come with Me Now" debuted at number 98 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it their first charting single on the chart; it peaked at number 31.{{cite magazine|last=Trust|first=Gary|title=Pharrell Williams Leads Hot 100; John Legend Gains At No. 2|url=http://www.billboard.com/article/news/6042268/hot-100-pharrell-williams-john-legend-katy-perry|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|date=April 9, 2014|access-date=April 9, 2014}} It also topped the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. By reaching the summit of the chart in 10 weeks, it was the quickest song of a rookie band to top the chart since American rock band Evanescence's 2003 song "Bring Me to Life". The single peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot Rock Songs chart and number 7 on the Canadian Hot 100. The song has sold 1.3 million copies in the United States, as of December 2014.{{cite web |url=http://www.hitsdailydouble.com/news/newsPage.cgi?news10224m01 |title=The Big 9 in 2014: Epic |work=HITS Daily Double |publisher=HITS Digital Ventures |date=December 10, 2014 |access-date=December 10, 2014}} The single also peaked at number 14, number 16, and number 18 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks, Mainstream Top 40 and Adult Top 40 charts, respectively. The song also topped the Official South African Singles Chart and peaked in the top 40 in New Zealand.{{cite web |url=https://music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart-watch/chart-watch-the-return-of-chris-brown-002528659.html |title=Chart Watch: The Return Of Chris Brown |author=Paul Grein |date=August 20, 2014 |work=Yahoo! Music }} It has sold over 160,000 copies in Canada.{{cite web|last=Gonshor|first=Bram|title=Kongos Presented With Double Platinum Plaques For Hit Single "Come With Me Now"|url=https://musiccanada.com/news/kongos-presented-with-double-platinum-plaques-for-hit-single-come-with-me-now/|work=Music Canada|date=August 6, 2014|access-date=August 13, 2014}}
Music video
The music video for "Come with Me Now" was uploaded on July 31, 2012. As of July 2024, the video has received a total of over 168 million views on YouTube.{{YouTube|Gz2GVlQkn4Q|Kongos – 'Come with Me Now'}} The video includes footage of the band playing the song, intercut with looped shots of people performing other activities such as applying makeup, exercising, and flipping through a magazine before they fall into water.
Live performances
The band performed the song on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on March 5, 2014.{{cite web|title=Watch Kongos Perform 'Come With Me Now' On Jimmy Kimmel Live|url=http://kroq.cbslocal.com/2014/03/06/watch-kongos-perform-come-with-me-now-on-jimmy-kimmel-live-see-them-sunday-at-kroq-storms-bear-mountain/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140424160811/http://kroq.cbslocal.com/2014/03/06/watch-kongos-perform-come-with-me-now-on-jimmy-kimmel-live-see-them-sunday-at-kroq-storms-bear-mountain/|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 24, 2014|work=KROQ 106.7 FM|publisher=CBS Local|access-date=April 24, 2014}}
Personnel
- Dylan Kongos {{endash}} Lead vocals, bass guitar, Lap steel guitar
- John J. Kongos {{endash}} Accordion, keyboards, vocoder, vocals
- Jesse Kongos {{endash}} Drums, percussion, vocals
- Daniel Kongos {{endash}} Guitar, vocals
Use in popular culture
- "Come with Me Now" has been used in commercials for TV shows, theme parks and networks including The Grand Tour, The Originals, NBC Sports, MSNBC, Syfy, Hemlock Grove, HBO's 2014 summer programming lineup, CNN, National Geographic Channel Philippines, History Channel (South Africa), NCIS: New Orleans, the Spike TV app, Universal Orlando Resort and Running Wild with Bear Grylls.
- The song was used in the "50 Cameos segment" to kick off the 2014 MTV Movie Awards hosted by Conan O'Brien.
- "Come with Me Now" was the official theme song for WWE's May 2014 pay-per-view Extreme Rules.{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/wwemusic|title=WWE Music|publisher=WWE|access-date=April 26, 2014}}
- The song was also used for televised sporting events, including the 2013 Rose Bowl, 2013 Orange Bowl{{cite web|url=http://www.kongos.com/2013/01/01/come-with-me-now-used-during-bowl-championship-series-on-espn/|title=Come With Me Now used during Bowl Championship Series on ESPN|publisher=Kongos|date=January 1, 2013|access-date=June 1, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140605052847/http://www.kongos.com/2013/01/01/come-with-me-now-used-during-bowl-championship-series-on-espn/|archive-date=June 5, 2014|url-status=dead}} and games for the 2014 NCAA Division I baseball tournament. It was used as an unofficial theme song for the 2015 Copa América.
- The song appeared in the trailer for the films Holy Motors and Horrible Bosses 2.
- The song was featured in the 2014 NASCAR on Fox season, Tampa Bay Lightning's 2014–15 season and during the pregame of Game 7 of the 2014 World Series.
- The song was featured in the BBC Sport "Get Carried Away with the Cup" campaign, promoting the return of coverage of the FA Cup to the broadcaster.{{cite web|title=Get Carried Away with the Cup - BBC Sport Trail|date=4 November 2014 |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02b11b4|publisher=BBC|access-date=May 27, 2015}}
- The song appeared in the "Last Hope" trailer for the video game Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel.{{YouTube|title=Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel – Last Hope trailer|id=9ztQOrV46gI}}
- The song appeared in the film The Expendables 3, the TV show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, season 15, episode 1 and the video game Guitar Hero Live.
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
! Chart (2014–2016) ! Peak |
| scope="row"| Australia (ARIA){{cite journal|url=http://www.aria.com.au/Issue1298.pdf|archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20150211130100/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20150212-0001/Issue1298.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=2015-02-11|journal=The ARIA Report|title=Week Commencing 12 January 2015|issue=1298|access-date=March 6, 2015|via=Trove}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
| 94 |
|---|
| {{Single chart|Austria|65|artist=Kongos|song=Come With Me Now|access-date=September 17, 2014|rowheader=true}} |
| {{Single chart|Canada|7|artist=Kongos|access-date=June 4, 2014|rowheader=true}} |
| {{Single chart|Billboardcanadachrtop40|17|artist=Kongos|access-date=February 3, 2015|rowheader=true}} |
| {{Single chart|Billboardcanadahotac|11|artist=Kongos|access-date=February 3, 2015|rowheader=true}} |
| {{Single chart|Billboardcanadarock|1|artist=Kongos|access-date=February 3, 2015|rowheader=true}} |
| {{Single chart|New Zealand|36|artist=Kongos|song=Come With Me Now|access-date=July 17, 2014|rowheader=true|refname=nz}} |
| {{Single chart|Scotland|58|date=2016-11-25|rowheader=true|access-date=November 26, 2016}} |
| scope="row"| South Africa (EMA){{cite web|url=http://www.sa-ema.com/index.php/charts-board/?week=2014-05-27 |title=South African Airplay Chart Top 10 – May 27, 2014 |publisher=Entertainment Monitoring Africa |access-date=May 28, 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140529052758/http://www.sa-ema.com/index.php/charts-board/?week=2014-05-27 |archivedate=May 29, 2014 |url-status=dead }}
| 1 |
| {{Single chart|Spain|47|artist=Kongos|song=Come With Me Now|access-date=September 17, 2014|rowheader=true}} |
| scope="row"| UK Singles (Official Charts Company){{cite web |url=http://zobbel.de/cluk/140913cluk.txt |title=CHART: CLUK Update 13.09.2014 (wk36) |publisher=Zobbel.de |access-date=September 14, 2014 |last=Zywietz |first=Tobias}}
| 125 |
| {{Single chart|Billboardhot100|31|artist=Kongos|access-date=July 17, 2014|rowheader=true}} |
| {{Single chart|Billboardadultpopsongs|17|artist=Kongos|access-date=July 17, 2014|rowheader=true}} |
| {{Single chart|Billboardrocksongs|2|artist=Kongos|access-date=June 4, 2014|rowheader=true}} |
| {{Single chart|Billboardpopsongs|16|artist=Kongos|access-date=July 17, 2014|rowheader=true}} |
| {{Single chart|Billboardrockairplay|1|artist=Kongos|access-date=June 4, 2014|rowheader=true}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=Kongos|title=Come with Me Now|award=Platinum|number=2|digital=true|relyear=2014|certyear=2014|type=single|access-date=July 20, 2014}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=Kongos|title=Come with Me Now|award=Platinum|relyear=2014|certyear=2022|source=radioscope|access-date=December 25, 2024|type=single}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Kongos|title=Come with Me Now|award=Silver|relyear=2014|certyear=2020|id=16551-5312-1|access-date=July 24, 2020|type=single}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Kongos|title=Come with Me Now|award=Platinum|number=2|salesamount=1,300,000|relyear=2014|certyear=2015|type=single|salesref=|access-date=December 29, 2020}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col"| Country
! scope="col"| Date ! scope="col"| Format ! scope="col"| Label ! scope="col"| {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference}} |
|---|
| scope="row"| South Africa
| December 15, 2012 | Tokoloshe | align="center"| {{cite web |url=https://music.apple.com/za/album/come-with-me-now-single/588030619 |title=Come With Me Now – Single by Kongos |work=iTunes Store |date=15 December 2012 |location=South Africa |publisher=Apple |access-date=September 14, 2014}} |
| scope="row"| United States
| April 15, 2014 | rowspan="2"| Epic |
| scope="row"| United Kingdom
| September 4, 2014 | Digital download | align="center"| {{cite web |url=http://www.7digital.com/artist/kongos/release/come-with-me-now |title=Come With Me Now (2014) |location=United Kingdom |publisher=7digital |access-date=September 14, 2014}} |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Kongos}}
{{authority control}}