The most popular recording, by trumpeter
Harry James and His Orchestra with vocalist
Kitty Kallen, debuted in October 1945 on
Billboard's
Best-Selling Popular Retail Records chart and reached number one in the chart dated
November 24, 1945 – the last of Harry James's nine US number ones. The record features a solo by alto saxophonist
Willie Smith. This version of the song is used extensively throughout the
Marvel Cinematic Universe, notably as the song playing in Sharon Carter's apartment in
Captain America: The Winter Soldier and as the song that
Steve Rogers and
Peggy Carter danced to after Steve returns to the past in
Avengers: Endgame. A hit version by iconic crooner
Bing Crosby with
Les Paul and His Trio (recorded on July 12, 1945) debuted the same week as James's record, which it replaced at number one in the chart dated December 8, 1945.
Sammy Kaye's "Chickery Chick" then returned to number one, only to be replaced by the Harry James recording, which reclaimed the top spot (for one final week) in the chart dated December 22. James's and Crosby's hits remained on the chart for 17 and 16 weeks, respectively. Both versions reached number one and Stan Kenton and His Orchestra with vocal by
June Christy (US no. 6). "It's Been a Long, Long Time" topped
Billboard's composite
Honor Roll of Hits chart for the last seven weeks of 1945.
Les Paul recalled in an interview for
Mojo magazine that "Bing was a sucker for guitar and that particular song was a case of you don't have to play a lot of notes, you just have to play the right notes." The song became a standard with versions recorded by
The DeMarco Sisters (1945),
June Haver and
Dan Dailey (1950),
Perry Como (1956),
Al Hibbler (1956),
Peggy Lee (1959),
Keely Smith (1959),
Louis Armstrong (1964), and
Tom Jones (1966). In 1945
Frank Sinatra sang a version on the radio show
Your Hit Parade, and this recording has appeared on many compilation albums. Harry James and His Orchestra re-recorded the song with singer
Helen Forrest. ==Other notable recordings==