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"I've Been Loving You Too Long" (originally "I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)") is a soul music ballad written by Otis Redding and Jerry Butler. Considered by music critics and writers to be one of Redding's finest performances and a soul classic, it is a slow, emotional piece with Redding's pleading vocals backed by producer Steve Cropper's arpeggiated guitar parts and a horn section.
Redding recorded the song in 1965 and when released as a single in April 1965, became his second best selling single. The song was subsequently included on his third album, Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul (1965). The song reached number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 2 on the Billboard Rhythm & Blues chart. Billboard described it as a "winning tender and soulful piece of material and performance by 'Mr. Pitiful' himself."
The song was added to the United States National Recording Registry in 2003.
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