At one point in mid-1945, versions by Mercer,
Bing Crosby, and the
Tommy Dorsey Orchestra were on the hit chart simultaneously. In late September, the Crosby version, first to make the chart, was joined by one by
Judy Garland and the
Merry Macs.
The
Johnny Mercer recording was released by
Capitol Records as catalog number 195. The recording, with backing vocals by The
Pied Pipers,[3] first reached the
Billboard charts on July 5, 1945, and lasted 16 weeks on the chart, peaking at number one.[4]
The
Bing Crosby recording (backing vocals by
Six Hits and a Miss) was made on February 17, 1944[5] and released by
Decca Records as catalog number 18690. The record first reached the Billboard charts on July 19, 1945, and lasted ten weeks on the chart, peaking at number four.[4]
The
Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra recording, vocal by The Sentimentalists, was released by
RCA Victor Records as catalog number 20-1682. The record first reached the Billboard charts on August 2, 1945, and lasted six weeks on the chart, peaking at number six.[4]
The
Judy Garland/
Merry Macs recording was released by
Decca Records as catalog number 23436. The record reached the Billboard charts on September 20, 1945, at number ten, its only week on the chart.[4]