"Love Takes Time" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey for her eponymous debut studio album (1990). Written by Carey and Ben Margulies, while produced by Walter Afanasieff, the song was released as the second single from the album on August 22, 1990, by Columbia Records. An adult contemporary-influenced ballad, the song follows its protagonist lamenting the loss of a lover and confesses that "love takes time" to heal and that her feelings for her ex-lover remain. Carey quickly recorded "Love Takes Time" at the last minute when the album was already considered complete and being processed for release. She played the song's demo to former Columbia CEO Don Ienner while on an airplane. Ienner and other officials immediately insisted the song be included on her upcoming album, even though the album was already going through final stages of completion and Carey wanted to save it for her sophomore effort. Eventually the song made it on to the album as the closing track, however, due to its late addition, it was not listed as such on early pressings of the album. Subsequent pressings of the album corrected this error. "Love Takes Time" was well received by music critics and went to become another success from the album in North America. It became Carey's second number-one single in the United States, attaining the position for three weeks. However, the song did not replicate the success of its predecessor globally. A music video was provided for the song, filmed in black and white at a beach. "Love Takes Time" has been included on Carey's compilation album Greatest Hits (2001), as well as #1 to Infinity (2015), among others. "Love Takes Time" was heavily promoted in the US, being performed live on shows such as The Arsenio Hall Show, Mariah's Thanksgiving NBC Special and The Des O'Connor Show. Since its release, the song has been included on set lists of Carey's numerous concert tours and residencies. Background In 1988, a 19-year-old Carey moved out from her mother's house on Long Island into an apartment in Manhattan. She had composed a four-track demo tape with her writing partner Ben Margulies while she was attending high school. As 1988 progressed, Carey struggled to impress record executives with the tape and had failed in securing a record deal. She worked several jobs, including as a waitress and coat-checker, in order to pay for studio