Are there really only three songs in the movie?
I didn't really pay attention, but at the scene where Nately gets killed, it did struck me that there is no music, as that would be typical spot for some tragic composition.
I think it's a great idea.
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Well, technically, there's 4 songs or possibly more...
There's the music heard when Yossarian speaks and then dances with Luciana in the Bar. Some have said that in more recent copies of this film, this song has been changed from the original cut; purportedly due to Licensing or something. I cannot confirm without seeing one of these newer versions.
The song in my copy of the film is clearly "September Song". But, I have no clue who performed it and it's been one of my quests to locate the very same recording for many years. Some have said that the recording is of Django Reinhardt. This may be true but, until I hear a copy of his version(s) that exactly matches the recording used in the film, I'm still skeptical. There is a recording of Septermber Song by Django which is very similar, however, the Saxophone solo is very different. This could well be a composite featuring two similar sounding versions spliced together for the mood of the scene or just another of the countless covers over the decades. And then, if the newer copies of the film have different music, that's another track that would count towards the total.
I just watched this again the other day and there's another song: I'm Getting Sentimental Over You - Tommy Dorsey & His Orch.
If there is an Afterlife, it probably sounds like The Residents.