Video hit Otis Redding

Otis Redding- I've Been Loving You Too Long (live, 1967)

I've Been Loving You Too Long (sometimes issued as "I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)") is a song written by Otis Redding and Jerry Butler.

It appeared as the A-side of a 1965 hit single by Otis Redding - and subsequently appeared on his third album, Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul.

Cover versions

The first cover of the song was a recording by The Rolling Stones in 1965 — shortly after Redding's original version became a hit. It was included on the Stones' first live album, Got Live If You Want It!, although the track was a studio recording that had been overdubbed with audience noises. Redding's profile among white audiences—especially in Europe—was considerably advanced by the exposure given to one of his compositions by the Stones. Returning the compliment, Otis Redding covered the Rolling Stones song "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction", written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.

Percy Sledge performed the song on his 1967 album The Percy Sledge Way.

Jerry Butler performed the song on his 1968 album The Soul Goes On.

The most widely known cover version of the song was by Ike & Tina Turner in 1968. It was the lead track from their 1968 Blue Thumb album entitled Outta Season. The Turners can be seen performing the tune at Madison Square Garden in the concert film of The Rolling Stones' Gimme Shelter. The Turners' version differs from the original greatly. During the live concert, and briefly on the audio, the Turners insert a provocative, seductive conclusion of the song. This is the call-and-response section done by the duo:

Ike: You can make me do anything you want me to do…

Tina: You can make me do anything you want me to do.

Ike: And I'll say…

Tina: And I'll… I'll even say anything you want me to say.

Ike: Buy you…

Tina: I'll buy you anything you want me to buy you.

Ike: If ya…

Tina: If you just stay and make..and make love to me…

After this dialogue, Tina Turner is handling the microphone in a raunchy way. Ike is making suggestive, pornographic slurping noises while playing the guitar. The song ends with Tina having a simulated "orgasm", while yelling, "Come on baby, sock it, sock it, sock it to me baby-Oh Oh Ohhhh baby!". Their version peaked at number 23 on the R&B charts and number 68 on the Pop.

Another cover of the song (in 1969) was Barbara Mandrell's debut single as an artist.

Aretha Franklin recorded a cover for her album Young, Gifted and Black (1972).

Jay Graydon recorded a guitar-instrumental cover for a compilation album Guitar Workshop - Tribute to Otis Redding (1988).

Etta James covered it on her 1997 album, Love's Been Rough on Me; (she also covered the B-side, "Just One More Day" of the original Redding single, in her "Otis Redding Medley" on the album Live From San Francisco (1994).

Australian solo artist, Johnny Diesel, covered the song on his 1992 album The Lobbyist. It was issued as a single in the same year, and became a Diesel favourite, also appearing on his compilation album, Rewind - The Best Of. The song was also covered by the British band, Tindersticks, and appeared on their album, Donkeys 92-97.

The track also appeared as part of a medley, with "Drown in My Own Tears" and "When Something Is Wrong with My Baby", on Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs and Englishmen album. The Philosopher Kings would also use it as part of their own medley, which included "At Last" and "Let's Get It On" plus their own original song "Hurts to Love You", to close their live show, recorded for their 1999 album, One Night Stand.

In 1997, E.G. Kight recorded her version of the track on the Come into the Blues album.

In 2007, Guy Sebastian travelled to Memphis, Tennessee, to record this song for his tribute soul classics album, The Memphis Album. "I've Been Loving You Too Long" is a stand-out track and was recorded to analogue tape live on the studio floor at Ardent Studios with many of the original Stax music band members, including Steve Cropper, Donald Duck Dunn, Lester Snell, Steve Potts (most of Booker T. & the MG's, though without Booker T himself) backing the vocals of Sebastian.

Seal recorded this song for his 2008 album Soul, and his 2009 album, Soul Live.

The lyrics:

I've been loving you too long

To stop now

You are 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 are 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

Don't want 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, yeah oh

My heart an