Love Takes Time

"Love Takes Time" is a single by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, the second from her debut album Mariah Carey. It was released in the third quarter of 1990 (see 1990 in music), and was co-written by Carey and Ben Marguiles. Carey had fought to co-produce the song with Walter Afanasieff, but was denied permission by her record company, Sony. In her first adult contemporary-influenced ballad as a single, Carey laments how once she had it all, but she let it slip away; with that in mind, she warns others to take things easy in a relationship as "love takes time". A modest hit outside north America, it became another number one single for Carey in the United States and Canada following the release of her debut album.

Making of the song

Carey and Margulies had written "Love Takes Time" while Mariah Carey was being produced, but had no intention of putting it on the album, preparing it to be the first single for Carey's second album (which would be Emotions). However, Carey played a demo of the track to Sony executives like Tommy Mottola on a promotional tour after her album was sent to be pressed. The executives insisted that Carey put it on her debut album, Mariah Carey. As this decision was made as Carey's debut was about to be printed, Walter Afanasieff, a struggling producer, was forced to produce the song in time for the pressing of Carey's debut. It is often thought Afanasieff was a very strange choice as he had minimal experience in production, but he met the production deadline and went on to enjoy a career of almost ten years co-writing and co-producing songs with Carey. Nevertheless, some copies of her debut, though including the song, don't list it.

Chart performance

"Love Takes Time" was another success, like her debut number-one single "Vision of Love", in the United States; it became her second U.S. single to reach number one, spending three weeks at the top, one week less than her debut. It failed, however, to match her debut's success in any other market. By this time Mariah Carey had been released, and with most other music markets moving faster than that in the U.S., the popularity of the album soared and the interest in further singles from it declined. Her reputation as a singer was also not solidified in a lot of music markets at the time.

Even though Carey had scored a number-one single earlier in the year – which had arguably been the biggest hit of the summer – "Love Takes Time" debuted at the same position, seventy-three; however, singles first charted on the Hot 100 based solely on airplay points in the week they were issued for commercial release, and because airplay of the song grew slowly it entered in a much lower position. It would take time for stations to become regular players of Carey's songs. It spent eight weeks climbing to the top of the Hot 100, slightly faster than her debut. Its stay in the upper end of the charts however was shorter, spending twenty-six weeks on the Hot 100 of which seventeen were in the top forty. As its success was divided between 1990 and 1991, it did not rank high on Billboard's year end chart, making seventy-sixth and sixty-ninth respectively. Its appearance in both years meant that it probably would have charted in the top twenty had its success been limited to a single year.

Likewise, the song also topped the Hot 100 Airplay and the Hot 100 Singles Sales. It became another huge hit on airplay and meant that Carey spent much time in the airplay charts during the year, becoming one of America's biggest radio stars. (She would find herself at the summit of the airplay charts repeatedly over the next six years.) Like "Vision of Love", it eventually went on to achieve Gold certification and was a massive crossover hit, reaching number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks, and topped both its component charts. It had less of an R&B tone than its predecessor, but was still a large enough hit on the R&B charts, making her a star in both the pop and R&B genres. It became the first of many ballads to become large hits on the Adult Contemporary chart, which it topped also like her debut single. Despite promising much more AC appeal than "Vision of Love", it spent two weeks less at the top of the AC chart than her previous single. Like her debut (and unlike any later single by Carey), it topped every Billboard chart for which it was eligible, a record which few singles can claim.

Internationally, the song was nowhere near as successful as its predecessor, and failed to make much of an impact. It did, however, top the Canadian charts, but this time only for a week compared with "Vision of Love", which had managed two. It failed to make much of an impact elsewhere, becoming a moderate number-fourteen hit in Australia and almost failing to make the top forty altogether in the UK stalling at a lowly thirty-seven. Other than factors such as the album already being released and a lack of reputation in marketss besides the USA, lack of promotion was probably a big factor. While "Vision of Love" was promoted as the introduction to a new singer, "Love Takes Time" was largely forgotten and with production so close to the album's release, it is likely that Carey's record company had less time to promote this single elsewhere.

Awards

"Love Takes Time" did not receive as many awards as its predecessor, but it too managed "Song of the Year" after receiving a BMI pop award. "Vision of Love" was more commercially and critically successful and also had wider crossover appeal than "Love Takes Time", but perhaps its stronger pop sound compared to her debut won over the BMI award distributors.

Video

As she walks around a beach, Carey realizes that "love takes time".

The video of the song features Carey (after receiving a heartbreaking call from a phone booth) walking around a beach with only a blanket over her swimsuit as she laments that "love takes time". The video was directed by Jeb Bien and Walter Maser.

The music video was released to consumers on The First Vision DVD/Home Video, but was not included on the DVD/home-video version of #1's. A live performance took its place because Carey is ashamed of the video. Like the video for her debut single, she lacked creative control in its production.

Remixes

Although there are no remixes of the song, a slight edit that de-emphasizes the high note at the bridge exists on the single release of the song.

Track listings of major single-releases

USA CD single (cassette single/7" single)

1. "Love Takes Time" (album version)
2. "Sent from up Above" (album version)

UK CD 5" single

1. "Love Takes Time" (album version)
2. "Vanishing" (album version)
3. "You Need Me" (album version)

Comprehensive charts

USA

Year	Single	Chart	Position	Number of chart topper
1991	"Love Takes Time"	Billboard Hot 100	#1 (3 weeks)	2nd
1991	"Love Takes Time"	Billboard Hot 100 Singles Sales	#1 (2 weeks)	2nd
1991	"Love Takes Time"	Billboard Hot 100 Airplay	#1 (2 weeks)	2nd
1991	"Love Takes Time"	Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	#1 (1 week)	2nd
1991	"Love Takes Time"	Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales	#1 (1 week)	2nd
1991	"Love Takes Time"	Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay	#1 (2 weeks)	2nd
1991	"Love Takes Time"	Billboard Adult Contemporary	#1 (1 week)	2nd

Chart trajectory

Billboard Hot 100 Chart trajectory — "Love Takes Time"
Week	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26
Chart position	73	50	36	24	19	12	5	3	1	1	1	2	5	12	14	14	17	20	25	32	52	51	58	69	84	90

International

Year	Single	Chart	Position	Number of chart topper
1990	"Love Takes Time"	UK Singles Chart	#37	-
1990	"Love Takes Time"	Canadian Singles Chart	#1 (1 week)	2nd
1990	"Love Takes Time"	ARIA Singles Chart	#14	-
1990	"Love Takes Time"	Germany Singles Chart	#75	-

Official remixes/versions list

• "Love Takes Time" (album version)
• "Love Takes Time" (radio edit)

See also

• Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1990 (USA)

External links

• "Love Takes Time" lyrics — lyrics for the album version of "Love Takes Time"