Synopsis

Filmed in black and white, the video follows Mariah Carey along a windswept beach after a relationship has ended. A man departs with luggage, leaving Carey alone with the memories and emotional aftermath of their breakup. She walks across the sand, sings directly to the camera, and reflects on the time needed to recover from lost love. The stark beach setting and monochrome photography reinforce the song's melancholy, giving the performance a lonely, reflective atmosphere.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was filmed on July 24, 1990, at Venice Beach in Los Angeles.

• Carey later recalled that rain repeatedly interrupted the shoot. She said that each time she got into position for a take, it seemed to start raining again.

• "Love Takes Time" was written after the rest of Carey's debut album had already been completed and sent for mastering. Columbia executives heard the demo and insisted that it be added, making it the album's closing track.

• Because of the late addition, some early pressings of the debut album were released without the song listed in the track sequence.

• The original video was left off Carey's 1999 video compilation "#1's." It was replaced there by a live performance recorded at Proctor's Theatre in Schenectady, New York, in 1993.

• The single became Carey's second No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, following "Vision of Love."