It's Been A Long, Long Time

Letters Home

Marcin Wichary

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April 30, 1945

My Darling;

Today it has been three years apart. I ache for you every day. I haven’t gotten a letter from you for several days. Deep sadness overcomes me each day I don’t receive one. I pray you haven’t grown tired of writing. I live for your letters. I long for every detail of your day and life back home.

The war will end soon. Everyone is sure of it. I can’t give my exact location as it will be censored, but I am in Germany. It is a wasteland. The towns are rubble, and the earth is scorched. German soldiers are surrendering. They know they are defeated. Surely, the end of the war is close. I pray to God that I will make it home to you before very long.

I have seen so many horrible things. Things no man should ever see. The only thing that keeps me sane is the thought of holding you in my arms once again and kissing your lips a thousand times.

Your photograph is worn, but I look at it every day. I keep it next to my heart always.

I long for nothing else but a normal life at home with you.

I must go now. You are always on my mind and in my heart.

I love you, Darling.

Jack

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Can you imagine the intense, heart-bursting embraces of couples reunited after years apart during World War II? The tears of joy streaming down their faces. There was no FaceTime, Skype, Zoom, or phone calls home in the 1940s. Only letters to keep love and hope alive.

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When the war was over, and the soldiers returned, the swing era of big band music was giving way to crooners like Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Perry Como; jazz singers like Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, and Nat King Cole; and pop vocalists like Doris Day, Judy Garland, and Dinah Shore.

One of the biggest hits records of the post-war era was the song It’s Been A Long, Long Time.

Although it is considered a jazz standard now, it was truly a song of the moment — a pop (popular) song. Written by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn in 1945, it perfectly captured the feelings of those finally reunited with loved ones.

Here are the lyrics:

Never thought that you would be
standing here so close to me
there’s so much I feel that I should say
but words can wait until some other day

Kiss me once, then kiss me twice
Then kiss me once again
It’s been a long, long time

Haven’t felt like this, my dear
Since I can’t remember when
It’s been a long, long time

You’ll never know how many dreams
I’ve dreamed about you
Or just how empty they all seemed without you

So kiss me once, then kiss me twice
Then kiss me once again
It’s been a long, long time

Ah, kiss me once, then kiss me twice
Then kiss me once again
It’s been a long time

Haven’t felt like this my dear
Since I can’t remember when
It’s been a long, long time

You’ll never know how many dreams
I dreamed about you
Or just how empty they all seemed without you

So kiss me once then kiss me twice
Then kiss me once again
It’s been a long, long time
Long, long time

Songwriters: Jule Styne / Sammy Cahn
It’s Been a Long, Long Time lyrics © Concord Music Publishing LLC

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Two versions of the song reached number one on the Billboard charts in 1945: one by the Harry James orchestra with vocals by Kitty Kallen and one by Bing Crosby with The Les Paul Trio. They are very different musical arrangements of the same song and show how a good song can be successfully arranged in different ways.

Let your imagination take you back to 1945 and enjoy both number-one versions:

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The opening letter is a work of fiction.

Thanks for reading and responding. You make it fun.

Mark

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