It's Been a Long, Long Time is a 1945 big band era tune composed by Jule Styne with lyrics by Sammy Cahn. The song's story is told from the perspective of someone welcoming home their spouse after World War II. The original hit recording was Harry James and His Orchestra with Kitty Kallen on vocals, released in 1945, and it topped Billboard charts in late 1945. A concurrent chart-topping version was Bing Crosby with Les Paul and His Trio, recorded in July 1945. Since then it has become a standard covered by many artists, including Doris Day, Peggy Lee, Keely Smith, Louis Armstrong, Perry Como, and Tom Jones, appearing on numerous albums and compilations. The tune is widely regarded as a big band swing staple and is closely linked with the wartime homecoming theme.
