Classic Pop Icons

Otis Redding’s soulful love song “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” is Song of the Week on Classic Pop Icons. “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” was released on single in April 1965, backed with “I’m Depending on You.” It also appeared on Otis’ classic album “Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul” which was released in September of that year.

Otis had signed for Stax in 1962 and spent his early years with the label gigging prolificly and releasing high quality, but only moderately successful albums and singles. “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” was Otis’ first big hit and the most successful of the singles released while he was alive. It was also one of the most powerful soul ballads of the period.

Otis opens the song with a great soulful rendering of the line “I’ve been loving you too long,” before he is joined by piano arpeggios, a very slick guitar part and powerful horns which build to a crescendo as Otis sings near the top of his range for the line “You are tired and you want to be free.” This is a man who is concerned that he might be losing his woman and so is seeking to reassure her and convince her of his love. The barely controlled top note on the word “tired” gives the line added emotional power, reminding us of the vulnerability of the man at the centre of the song. In short, it’s great soul singing.

As the song progresses and reaches its conclusion, the lyric takes on a more desperate quality, with the singer pleading “Please, please, please, please no/Don’t make me stop now.” Again, Otis’ intense vocal communicates this desperation superbly.

If anyone asks you what is meant by “the Stax sound,” this would be a good song to play.

I’ve Been Loving You Too Long – Otis Redding

A second version of “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” was recorded three months later in stereo and appeared on the 2008 reissue of “Otis Blue.” There’s also a lengthy live version of the song from the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival on the posthumous album “Historic Performances Recorded at the Monterey International Pop Festival.”

Authorship

“I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” was written by Otis Redding and The Impressions lead singer Jerry Butler in a hotel room in Buffalo, New York. Butler sang a half-finished version of the song to an impressed Otis, who helped finish the song.

Recording date/location

“I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” was recorded at Stax Recording Studios in Memphis on April 19, 1965. The stereo version was recorded in July 1965 at the same studio.

Musicians

The following musicians played on “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long”:

• Otis Redding – vocals
• Steve Cropper – guitar
• Donald Dunn – bass
• Booker T. Jones – keyboards
• Al Jackson, Jr. – drums
• Sammy Coleman – trumpet
• Charles Axton – tenor saxophone
• Floyd Newman – baritone saxophone.

In 2003, Steve Cropper told Rolling Stone that he considers his guitar work on “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” as his finest recorded moment. He noted – “The licks that were in there – I don’t know what possessed me to play them.”

Chart performance

“I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” reached number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on June 13, 1965. The song peaked at number two on the Billboard R&B chart.

Covers

“I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” – Rolling Stones

There was mutual admiration between the Rolling Stones and Otis Redding. The Stones recorded “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” in May 1965 after hearing Redding’s single, and Redding then covered “Satisfaction” for his “Otis Blue” album.

Although the Stones’ cover appeared on their 1966 live album “Got Live if You Want It!”, this was actually a studio cut with applause overdubbed. It’s a solid, if slightly unimaginative cover, with the original arrangement followed quite closely. Jagger’s vocals also lack the intensity of Redding’s.

During a 1967 appearance at the Stax/Volt Revue in London, Otis dedicated his rendition of “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” to Mick Jagger, who was in attendance.

“I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” – Ike and Tina Turner

Ike and Tina Turner’s cover of “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” opened their 1968 album “Outta Season.” It’s a raucous vocal from Tina and a heavy arrangement, with prominent bass and drums.

A live version of the song from Ike and Tina is featured in the Rolling Stones’ concert movie “Gimme Shelter,” as the duo opened for the band on their 1969 US tour.

There will be a new Song of the Week on February 20.

The mono and stereo versions of Otis Reddings’ “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” can both be heard on Rhino’s excellent 2008 reissue of “Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul.”

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