I was driving in my car today when Otis Redding’s “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” came on. I immediately thought that I must have covered this song before on the blog. When I checked, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t. This is one of the most emotional performances I’ve ever heard. Otis doesn’t just sing this song. He sounds like he’s living every word of it. You can hear the desperation in his voice as he tries to hold on to a relationship that is slipping away.
The song was written by Otis Redding and Jerry Butler and released in 1965 on Volt Records. It also appeared on Redding’s album Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul. The recording was made at Stax Studios in Memphis, with that wonderful Stax sound behind him. The arrangement starts quietly and builds as Otis puts more and more emotion into every line. The horns and rhythm section never overpower him. They give the man just enough room to do what he did better than almost anybody.
What gets me about this song is how believable it is. There is nothing polished or artificial about the way Redding sings it. By the end, he is practically pleading, and you believe every second of it. He could take a simple love song and turn it into something unforgettable. If you’ve never heard the live version from the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, do yourself a favor and listen to it. It’s an incredible performance. Otis Redding was only 26 when he died later that year, and listening to a song like this makes you wonder what else he could have given us. I’m just glad I finally got around to covering this one.
It peaked at #21 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on the R&B chart in 1965.
I’ve Been Loving You Too Long
I’ve been loving you too long to stop now
You were tired and you want to be free
My love is growing stronger as you become a habit to me
Ooh, I’ve been loving you too long
I don’t wanna stop now, oh
With you, my life has been so wonderful
I can’t stop now
You were tired, and your love is growing cold
My love is growing stronger as our affair, affair grows old
I’ve been loving you, oh, too long to stop now
Oh, oh, oh
I’ve been loving you a little too long
I don’t wanna stop now
Oh, oh
Don’t make me stop now
Oh, baby, I’m down on my knees
Please, don’t make me stop now
I love you, I love you
I love you with all my heart and I can’t stop now
Please, please
Please, please, no
Don’t make me stop now, girl, no
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What a GREAT song!!!
Great song and an amazing voice!
I am certainly guilty of overlooking this song. I searched my blog too. It’s really a template for Soul. Like you say it’s all right out there. It was great to listen to it again.
Thanks I’m not the only one. It is such raw emotion…almost overwhelming.
I share your enthusiasm for Otis Redding, one of my favorite artists associated with Stax. And, man, that live version is killer – soul doesn’t get any better! I don’t believe I had seen it before.
Yea…he kills it in that live performance…such raw emotions.
love his voice and this song
What a voice. The sound of soul at it’s very best.
Great performance from ‘Mr Soul’. What a voice!
Such a powerful voice he had…
The live one is beyond belief. This one and “Try A Little Tenderness” are probably my top ones of his, with everything else he did a hair behind. The one and only Otis. Great post.
Yes…that one is a great one…yea the live one on this…I see why he really broke through at that time.
I love the way he hits the word “tired” just a little off-pitch and slides into it. When he was alive, local bands covered “Try a Little Tenderness” but I don’t remember anyone trying to do this song. And to put him with Booker T & the MGs is heaven on earth.
Yes it was…I still can’t believe I missed this one all these years.
BTW…congrats on the Brewers! If anyone had to beat my Dodgers…I was glad it was them. They deserve it.
I vividly remember the 1982 Series with Harvey’s Wallbangers. I went to the Twin Cities with my soon-to-be-ex for her sister’s wedding and had to sneak off to watch or listen to the games that weekend. (P.S. We’re still friends and the Series had nothing to do with the breakup.)
I remember Rollie Fingers from that team and Don Money, Ted Cimmons, Cecil Cooper, Yount and Molitor of course. That was a great team…
This year I think they are the best team in MLB…that doesn’t always decide a win but I believe they will win.
Otis Redding remains a towering, unmatched figure in American soul music known as the “King of Soul”.
Yes…he stood apart from the rest…especially live.
I can only reiterate what everyone here has said. He was Soul.
Yea…not much else to say!
I read the name of today’s entry and it just started playing in my head.
ABSOLUTE PERFECTION
Thats the best description for this and most Otis songs.
I never get tired of this one Max. When I hear it it makes me think of only one guy at the top and that’s Otis. It took me a while to really appreciate what he brought to music. I had a buddy who was ahead of the curve. He was an Otis disciple from the moment he showed up. I wasnt used to this kind of music but once it grabbed me it never let go and still has me.
His raw emotion in this CB…it’s almost like you are listening in on a private conversation. The fact that I hadn’t covered it before really surprised me.
You had a buddy with great tastes.
He rules, another tragic early loss as he could have explored a lot of directions.
More than Hendrix or Joplin…you are right. He loved The Beatles and other rock acts as well…it would have been interesting on where he would have went to.
Yeah, i only ever heard Dock of the Bay on classic rock radio, which is a good song, but not really indicative of his other stuff.
What a performance. I love that suit he’s wearing. Co-written with Jerry Butler. I wish you would write a post on Jerry Butler sometime 🙂
Well I might now…I never thought of it…thanks Lisa.
It was the summer of 1987 when the 20th anniversary of the Monterey Pop Festival was celebrated that I first heard this song. No joke, it was literally life changing. I’ve been a big Otis fan ever since.
I can see that Liam…the live version is so powerful.