Love Takes Time#Charts

Carey's debut album was completed and being mastered when she wrote the song with Ben Margulies. Margulies said: "It was sort of a gospelish thing I was improvising, then we began working on it. It was on a work tape that we had...and we recorded a very quick demo. It was just a piano vocal demo - I played live piano, and she sang it." Carey was on a mini-tour of ten states, playing acoustically with a piano player and three back-up singers. While on a company plane, she played the demo of "Love Takes Time" for Columbia Records president Don Ienner. "All the important guys were on the plane," Margulies said. "Tommy Mottola, Ienner, and Bobby Colomby." Carey was told the song was a "career-maker" and that it had to go on the first album. She protested, as her album was already being mastered and she intended the ballad for her next release.

The demo was sent to producer Walter Afanasieff. When Carey flew west to work with Narada Michael Walden on some tracks for her first album, Tommy Mottola and Don Ienner were impressed with Afanasieff's work and gave him an executive staff producer job with the label. Afanasieff recalled: "I guess to see if he made the right choice, [Mottola] called me up one day. He said, 'We've got this Mariah Carey album done, but there's a song that she and Ben Margulies wrote that is phenomenal, and I want to try everything we can to put it on the album.' I said, 'What do you want me to do?' and he said, 'You only have a couple of days, but are you ready to cut it?' I couldn't believe the opportunity that it was. I'd never produced anything by myself up until that time."

The demo was very close to what Mottola wanted the finished product to be, according to Afanasieff: "We cut the song and the music and the basics in about a day - and the only reason is this deadline. It was do it or we were gonna miss out on the whole thing. We got the tape and recorded everything and we got on the plane and went to New York [and] did her vocals. She did all the backgrounds, practically sang all night...We came back to the studio that afternoon, and we had to fix one line very quickly, and then [engineer] Dana Jon Chappelle and I got back on the plane with the tape, went back to the studio in Sausalito, and mixed it. So it was a three-day process: a day and a half for music, kind of like a day for vocals, and a day for mixing."

Afanasieff heard from Columbia executives as soon as they received the mix. They wanted Carey's vocal a little louder, so a remix was quickly completed. The producer asked if the song would still make the debut album, and was told: "We're going to do our best." When the album was released, "Love Takes Time" was not listed on neither cassette nor CD pressings. Margulies said: "And so the song's on there, but it doesn't say that it's on there. It was a song that actually was strong enough to stop the pressing...I don't know if they had to throw away a few hundred copies."[http://www.mariahdaily.com/infozone/storybehindno1s.shtml#ltt "Hero" inside story] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080622140004/http://www.mariahdaily.com/infozone/storybehindno1s.shtml |date=June 22, 2008 }}

"Love Takes Time" is performed in the key of B Major{{cite web|url=https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0055089|title=Mariah Carey – Love Takes Time – Digital Sheet Music|work=Musicnotes.com|date=November 17, 2006|publisher=Universal Publishing|access-date=May 5, 2009}} in common time with a slow tempo of 63 beats per minute. Carey's vocals span three octaves and five semitones from D{{sharp}}₃ to G{{sharp}}₆ in the song.{{Cite book|title=Mariah Carey: Original Keys for Singers|year=2007|author=Hal Leonard|pages=101–108|publisher=Hal Leonard |isbn=978-1-4234-1996-9}}

The lyrics have received scholarly analysis regarding femininity. Dorothy Marcic categorized "Love Takes Time" as a "compliant victim song" in which the narrator "struggles with feeling incomplete and losing her mind since he left".{{harvnb|Marcic|2002|p=194}} According to Lanice R. Avery et al., the song represents hegemonic femininity through the expression of emotion, which is conveyed through lyrics such as "Love takes time / To heal when you're hurting so much / Couldn't see that I was blind / To let you go / I can't escape the pain / Inside."{{harvnb|Avery|Ward|Moss|Üsküp|2017|pp=170, 173}} For Julija Vaitonytė and Julija Korostenskienė, the 1990s pop song metaphor "love is a unity (of two complementary parts)" is present in the lyrics "Losing my mind / From this hollow in my heart / Suddenly I'm so incomplete", suggesting that "losing a loved one implies losing a part of oneself".{{harvnb|Vaitonytė|Korostenskienė|2015|pp=116–117}}

{{Music ratings

| title = Professional ratings

| subtitle =

| rev1 = Entertainment Weekly (2006)

| rev1score = A{{cite magazine|last=Pastorek|first=Whitney|title=This Week in 1990: Rating the Top Ten Hits|date=October 31, 2006|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|url=https://ew.com/article/2006/10/31/this-week-1990-rating-top-10-singles/|access-date=February 24, 2023}}

| rev2 = Entertainment Weekly (2012)

| rev2score = B{{cite magazine|last=Greenblatt|first=Leah|title=Chart Flashback: 1990|date=November 2, 2012|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|url=https://ew.com/article/2012/11/02/chart-flashback-1990/|access-date=February 24, 2023}}

| rev3 = Stereogum

| rev3score = 7/10{{cite magazine|last=Breihan|first=Tom|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2164803/the-number-ones-mariah-careys-love-takes-time/columns/the-number-ones/|title=The Number Ones: Mariah Carey's "Love Takes Time"|date=October 22, 2021|magazine=Stereogum|access-date=February 24, 2023}}

}}

"Love Takes Time" garnered a positive reception upon its release.{{cite news|last=Warren|first=Jill|date=August 31, 1990|title=Mariah Carey|newspaper=The Indianapolis Star|page=D6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star/158103160/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|last=Kinghorn|first=Peter|date=October 30, 1990|title=Singles/Choices|newspaper=Evening Chronicle|department=Choices|page=5|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-chronicle/164063311/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|last=Whiteford|first=Jim|date=November 2, 1990|title=Records|newspaper=Kilmarnock Standard|page=85|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kilmarnock-standard/157015840/|via=Newspapers.com}} Many music critics described the song as beautiful{{cite news|last=Fenn|first=Colin|date=September 13, 1990|title=Unknown's Promise|newspaper=Llanelli Star|page=21|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/llanelli-star/157016691/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|last=Heft|first=Rhonda|date=December 1, 1990|title=Mariah Carey|newspaper=Red Deer Advocate|page=2C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/red-deer-advocate/158110187/|via=Newspapers.com}} or emotional.{{cite magazine|last=Sholin|first=Dave|date=August 31, 1990|title=Singles|magazine=The Gavin Report|page=60}}{{cite magazine|last=McKay|first=J. Michael|date=October 11, 1990|title=Giving You the Businezz...|newspaper=Call and Post|department=Showtime|page=10|id={{ProQuest|184600981}}}} Diane Rufer and Ron Fell of the Gavin Report called it "an awesome ballad of heroic proportions"{{cite magazine|last1=Rufer|first1=Diane|last2=Fell|first2=Ron|date=August 31, 1990|title=Reviews|magazine=The Gavin Report|page=22}} and Billboard said Carey surpassed expectations.{{cite magazine|date=September 8, 1990|title=Single Reviews|magazine=Billboard|page=73|id={{ProQuest|1505888106}}}} According to Cash Box, "Carey keeps things simmering at a low heat, slowly unveiling the power and beauty of her voice."{{cite magazine|date=September 15, 1990|title=Pop Reviews – Singles|magazine=Cash Box|page=15}}

Entertainment Weekly wrote, "With just the softest synthesizer tinkle, a touch of percussion, and what may well have been a borrowed pair of back-porch wind chimes, she made every last listener feel the utter despair of a breakup: "Losing my mind/From this hollow in my heart/Suddenly I’m so incomplete.""{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/music/2018/03/27/ranking-mariah-carey-no-1-hits/|title=Celebrate Mariah Carey's birthday with the ultimate ranking of her No. 1 hits|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=March 27, 2018|page=94|access-date=April 8, 2020}} In 2015, Est 1997 writer Mario stated that it was an ″Adult Contemporary ballad″ and that it was "arguably some of the strongest melodies and bridge in Mariah’s catalog." He continued by saying that ″Her vocals are so pure and passionate that every emotion filters through the music and just reaches and warms the heart. It’s the realisation of a universal truth by a young woman who’s still learning to deal with feelings. There’s almost a sense of naivety in the lyrics but, at the same time, the song sounds mature and it’s relatable. That’s a constant in Mariah’s catalog, something that has marked her strength and endurance as a writer."{{cite news|title="Love Takes Time," but for Mariah Carey, a second #1 hit doesn't!|url=http://www.est1997.com/music/love-takes-time-but-for-mariah-carey-a-second-1-hit-doesnt/|access-date=June 28, 2016|agency=Est 1997|date=July 17, 2015|ref=627842}}

During a review of her 2001 Greatest Hits album in May 2002, Devon Powers of PopMatters praised the song along with "I Don't Wanna Cry", calling it "stupendous" and said that ″Her lyrics were exactly what you wanted them to be: simple, memorable, and absolutely true." Stephen Filippelli from Review Stream called the song decent, but mainly criticized the music video for the song.{{cite web|last1=Filippelli|first1=Filippelli|title=Love Takes Time (1990): Mariah Carey|url=http://www.reviewstream.com/reviews/?p=91422#thoughts-box|website=Review Stream|access-date=June 28, 2016|ref=642844}} Amanda Dobbins and Lindsay Weber of Vulture listed "Love Takes Time" at number-nineteen on their list of "Mariah Carey’s 25 Best Singles".{{cite news|last1=Weber|first1=Lindsay|last2=Dobbins|first2=Amanda|title=VULTURE LISTS May 28, 2014 1:20 p.m. These Are Mariah Carey's 25 Best Singles|url=http://www.vulture.com/2014/05/these-are-mariah-careys-25-best-singles.html|access-date=June 28, 2016|work=Vulture|agency=Vulture|issue=May 2014|date=May 28, 2014|ref=642845}} OO Cities called the song a "beautiful ballad".{{cite web|title=Love Takes Time was the second single from Mariah Carey album.|url=http://www.oocities.org/gregorijk/lovetakes.htm|website=OO Cities|access-date=June 28, 2016|ref=642846}}

"Love Takes Time" won a BMI R&B Award for Song of the Year and Songwriter Award. The song also won Carey the 1991 Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Urban Contemporary New Artist.{{cite web|url=http://www.soultrain.com/stma/mwin5.html |title=1991 Winners: Soul Train Music Awards|date=February 8, 2005 |access-date=November 20, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050208205258/http://www.soultrain.com/stma/mwin5.html |archive-date=February 8, 2005 }}{{cite web |author=TV.com |url=http://www.tv.com/shows/soul-train/the-5th-annual-soul-train-music-awards-383474/ |title=Soul Train - Season 20, Episode 22: The 5th Annual Soul Train Music Awards |publisher=TV.com |date=March 12, 1991 |access-date=November 20, 2012 |archive-date=November 5, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105210209/http://www.tv.com/shows/soul-train/the-5th-annual-soul-train-music-awards-383474/ |url-status=dead }}

In the United States, "Love Takes Time" debuted at number 73 on Hot 100 Singles in the Billboard issue dated September 15, 1990. It peaked at number one for three weeks in November 1990.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/mariah-carey/chart-history/hsi/|title=Mariah Carey Chart History (Billboard Hot 100)|magazine=Billboard|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221122014249/https://www.billboard.com/artist/mariah-carey/chart-history/hsb/|archive-date=November 22, 2022}} Following "Vision of Love", which previously spent four weeks atop the chart, this made Carey the thirteenth artist to have two number one songs from a debut album.{{cite magazine|last=Zellner|first=Xander|title=Cardi B, Beyonce, Mariah Carey & More: The Elite Acts with at Least Two Hot 100 No. 1s from a Debut Album|magazine=Billboard|date=July 5, 2018|url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/acts-with-at-least-two-hot-100-no-1s-debut-album-cardi-b/|url-access=subscription|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240810105757/https://www.billboard.com/pro/acts-with-at-least-two-hot-100-no-1s-debut-album-cardi-b/|archive-date=August 10, 2024}} She also became the thirteenth artist{{efn|And second solo woman{{cite magazine|last=Trust|first=Gary|title=Lady Gaga: Break Those Records, Baby|magazine=Billboard|date=August 18, 2010|url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/lady-gaga-break-those-records-baby/|url-access=subscription|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823000312/https://www.billboard.com/pro/lady-gaga-break-those-records-baby/|archive-date=August 23, 2023}}}} to reach number one with their first two chart entries,{{cite magazine|title=Chart Beat Bonus|magazine=Billboard|date=April 12, 2002|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/chart-beat-bonus-145-76127/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250125165307/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/chart-beat-bonus-145-76127/|archive-date=January 25, 2025}} and the second artist to do so with both entries lasting at least three weeks at number one, after the Four Seasons in 1962.{{cite magazine|last=Grein|first=Paul|title=Holiday Season Spurs Robust Chart Debuts; Carey's 'Love' Strong'; Wilbury's Disc Travels|magazine=Billboard|date=November 24, 1990|page=8|id={{ProQuest|1505933980}}}} "Love Takes Time" spent a total of 26 weeks on the Hot 100; it remained Carey's third best-performing song on the chart as of 2018.{{cite magazine|last=Corpuz|first=Kristin|title=Mariah Carey's Top 40 Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits|magazine=Billboard|date=March 27, 2018|url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/mariah-carey-top-40-biggest-billboard-hot-100-hits/|url-access=subscription|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209020503/https://www.billboard.com/pro/mariah-carey-top-40-biggest-billboard-hot-100-hits/|archive-date=December 9, 2022}} It also topped Hot Adult Contemporary and Hot R&B Singles, giving Carey her second consecutive number one on both charts.{{harvnb|Hoffman|2016|p=463}} The Recording Industry Association of America certified the single gold in 1990 and platinum in 2023.

Internationally, "Love Takes Time" failed to emulate its US success in any other market except Canada, where it reached number two on the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart. It did reach the top ten in Iceland and New Zealand, but did not make much of an impact elsewhere, becoming a moderate top-20 hit in Australia, and a top-40 hit in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. It failed to reach the top 40 in Germany, peaking at number 57.

The single's video, directed by Jeb Brien and Walter Maser, features Carey walking around a beach after a man walks away with luggage in Venice, Los Angeles. The video was not included on Carey's video compilation #1's (1999) and was replaced with a live performance of the song, filmed at Proctor's Theatre in Schenectady, New York in 1993.{{cite AV media|last=Carey|first=Mariah|author-link=Mariah Carey|year=1999|title=#1's|location=United States|publisher=Columbia Home Video|id=CVD 50195}}{{efn|The performance video for "Love Takes Time" was originally released as part of Carey's third video album Here Is Mariah Carey (1993).}}

Carey performed the song at The Arsenio Hall Show, later she performed the song at shows like Des O'Connor Tonight, It's Showtime At The Apollo and The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.{{fact|date=August 2024}} Three years later, in 1993, she performed the song in the special Here Is Mariah Carey, filmed at Proctor's Theatre.{{fact|date=August 2024}} Carey performed the song on several concert tours, including the Music Box Tour (1993),{{cite news|last=Moorhouse|first=Donnie|date=November 11, 1993|title=Mariah Carey Thoroughly Mesmerizes Centrum Sellout|newspaper=Union-News|page=WK11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-republican/163893974/|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=January 25, 2025|archive-url=https://archive.today/20250125153401/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-republican/163893974/|url-status=live}} Australian Tour 2013,{{cite news|last=Lazarevic|first=Jade|date=January 12, 2013|title=Mariah's Own Way|newspaper=Newcastle Herald|page=15|id={{ProQuest|1269133813}}}} and Caution World Tour (2019).{{cite news|last=Cragg|first=Michael|date=May 26, 2019|title=Mariah Carey Review – Gold-Plated Pop Diva Cements Her Legacy|newspaper=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/may/26/mariah-carey-review-royal-albert-hall-london|archive-date=November 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231102111907/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/may/26/mariah-carey-review-royal-albert-hall-london|url-status=live}} She included in the set list of her Las Vegas concert residency #1 to Infinity{{cite news|date=May 7, 2015|title=Review: Mariah Carey and Her Can't-Look-Away Debut in Las Vegas|last=Caramanica|first=Jon|author-link=Jon Caramanica|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/08/arts/music/review-mariah-carey-and-her-cant-look-away-debut-in-las-vegas.html|url-access=limited|newspaper=The New York Times|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220514094436/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/08/arts/music/review-mariah-carey-and-her-cant-look-away-debut-in-las-vegas.html|archive-date=May 14, 2022}} and a 2019 standalone concert at King Abdullah Economic City in Saudi Arabia.{{cite news|last1=Al-Ghalib|first1=Essam|last2=Flanagan|first2=Ben|date=January 31, 2019|title=Mariah Carey Wows Fans in Saudi Arabia with Her First Concert in the Kingdom|newspaper=Arab News|url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/1445066/saudi-arabia|archive-date=December 11, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231211154543/https://www.arabnews.com/node/1445066/saudi-arabia|url-status=live}}

• European 12-inch vinyl and maxi-CD singles{{Citation |title=Mariah Carey - Love Takes Time |date=1990 |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/2399392-Mariah-Carey-Love-Takes-Time |language=en |access-date=2022-05-20}}{{Citation |title=Mariah Carey - Love Takes Time |date=1990 |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/8899626-Mariah-Carey-Love-Takes-Time |language=en |access-date=2022-05-20}}

1. "Love Takes Time"
2. "Sent from Up Above"
3. "Vanishing"

• UK 12-inch vinyl{{Citation |title=Mariah Carey - Love Takes Time |date=October 1990 |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/3095071-Mariah-Carey-Love-Takes-Time |language=en |access-date=2022-05-20}}

1. "Love Takes Time"
2. "You Need Me"
3. "Vanishing"

• Worldwide 7-inch vinyl, CD and Japanese CD3 singles{{Citation |title=Mariah Carey - Love Takes Time |date=1990 |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/15539503-Mariah-Carey-Love-Takes-Time |language=en |access-date=2022-05-20}}{{Citation |title=Mariah Carey - Love Takes Time |year=1990 |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/6440664-Mariah-Carey-Love-Takes-Time |language=en |access-date=2022-05-20}}{{Citation |title=Mariah Carey - Love Takes Time |date=October 21, 1990 |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/1778993-Mariah-Carey-Love-Takes-Time |language=en |access-date=2022-05-20}}

1. "Love Takes Time"
2. "Sent from Up Above"

• UK 7-inch vinyl and cassette singles{{Citation |title=Mariah Carey - Love Takes Time |date=October 1990 |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/2142936-Mariah-Carey-Love-Takes-Time |language=en |access-date=2022-05-20}}{{Citation |title=Mariah Carey - Love Takes Time |date=October 1990 |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/9164712-Mariah-Carey-Love-Takes-Time |language=en |access-date=2022-05-20}}

1. "Love Takes Time"
2. "Vanishing"

• UK CD single{{Citation |title=Mariah Carey - Love Takes Time |date=October 1990 |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/3747053-Mariah-Carey-Love-Takes-Time |language=en |access-date=2022-05-20}}

1. "Love Takes Time"
2. "Vanishing"
3. "You Need Me"

• UK limited edition picture disc CD single{{Citation |title=Mariah Carey - Love Takes Time |year=1990 |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/2597555-Mariah-Carey-Love-Takes-Time |language=en |access-date=2022-05-20}}

1. "Love Takes Time"
2. "Vanishing"
3. "You Need Me"
4. "Vision of Love"

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

• Recorded at The Plant Studios (Sausalito, California) and The Hit Factory (New York City)
• Mixed at The Plant Studios (Sausalito, California)
• Mastered at Masterdisk (New York){{cite AV media notes|title=Mariah Carey|year=1990|type=CD liner notes|publisher=Columbia Records|id=466815 2}}

{{col-2}}

• Mariah Carey{{nbsp}}– songwriter, vocal arranger, lead vocals, background vocals
• Ben Margulies{{nbsp}}– songwriter
• Walter Afanasieff{{nbsp}}– producer, arranger, keyboards, synthesizer, synthesizer bass and drums
• Dana Jon Chappelle{{nbsp}}– engineering, mixing
• Manny LaCarrubba{{nbsp}}– additional engineering
• David Frazer{{nbsp}}– mixing
• Louis Biancaniello{{nbsp}}– programming
• Ren Klyce{{nbsp}}– programming
• Howie Weinburg{{nbsp}}– mastering

{{col-end}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for "Love Takes Time"}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=single|region=Australia|artist=Mariah Carey|title=Love Takes Time|award=Gold|certyear=2019|relyear=1990|access-date=March 22, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|title=Love Takes Time|artist=Mariah Carey|type=single|award=Platinum|certyear=2023|relyear=1990|access-date=August 31, 2023|refname=riaa}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}

• List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1990
• List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1990 (U.S.)
• List of number-one R&B singles of 1990 (U.S.)

{{notelist}}

{{reflist}}

• {{cite journal|last1=Avery|first1=Lanice R.|last2=Ward|first2=L. Monique|last3=Moss|first3=Lolita|last4=Üsküp|first4=Dilara|date=2017|title=Turning Gender: Representations of Femininity and Masculinity in Popular Music by Black Artists|journal=Journal of Black Psychology|volume=43|issue=2|pages=159–191|doi=10.1177/0095798415627917}}
• {{cite book|last1=Downey|first1=Pat|last2=Albert|first2=George|last3=Hoffman|first3=Frank|date=1994|title=Cash Box Pop Singles Charts 1950–1993|publisher=Libraries Unlimited|isbn=1-56308-316-7|ol=OL1105653M}}
• {{Cite book|last=Hoffman|first=Frank|year=2016|orig-year=2008|title=Chronology of American Popular Music, 1900–2000|location=New York|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-0-415-97715-9}}
• {{cite book|last=Lwin|first=Nanda|author-link=Nanda Lwin|date=1997|title=Canada's Top Hits of the Year 1975–1996|publisher=Music Data Canada|page=106|isbn=1-896594-10-7}}
• {{cite book|last=Lwin|first=Nanda|author-link=Nanda Lwin|date=2000|title=Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide|publisher=Music Data Canada|isbn=1-896594-13-1}}
• {{Cite book|last=Marcic|first=Dorothy|author-link=Dorothy Marcic|title=Respect: Women and Popular Music|year=2002|place=New York|publisher=Texere|isbn=1-58799-083-0|ol=3956472M}}
• {{cite book|last=Nickson|first=Chris|year=1998|title=Mariah Carey Revisited: An Unauthorised Biography|publisher=St. Martin's Press|isbn=0312195125}}
• {{cite book|first=Gavin|last=Ryan|title=Australia's Music Charts 1988-2010|year=2011|publisher=Moonlight Publishing|location=Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia}}
• {{cite journal|last1=Vaitonytė|first1=Julija|last2=Korostenskienė|first2=Julija|date=2015|title=Feminine Imagery in Contemporary American Pop Songs: A Contrastive Analysis|journal=Sustainable Multilingualism|issue=6|pages=109–131|doi=10.1177/0095798415627917|url=https://ejournals.vdu.lt/index.php/SM/article/view/4481/2613|url-access=subscription}}

• {{YouTube|FkDpwF6-QiA|Official music video}}

{{Mariah Carey}}

{{Mariah Carey singles}}

{{authority control}}

Category:1990 singles

Category:1990 songs

Category:Mariah Carey songs

Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles

Category:Cashbox number-one singles

Category:CBS Records singles

Category:Sony Music singles

Category:Columbia Records singles

Category:1990s ballads

Category:Pop ballads

Category:Contemporary R&B ballads

Category:Song recordings produced by Walter Afanasieff

Category:Songs written by Mariah Carey

Category:Songs written by Ben Margulies

Category:Songs about heartache

Category:Black-and-white music videos