I like to think two.
What is first heard when Luke and Co. enter the cantina seems like one song, and later, slower music around the time of Han's introduction seems like another song.
I know songs can shift tonally, but it's my impression that two songs are heard.
Eventually the band would have to play more than one song, and I feel like that was John Williams' and/or George Lucas' intention.
For years soundtrack releases only featured the first track, but the 20th anniversary edition released to coincide w/the Special Editions featured "Cantina Band" and "Cantina Band #2".
I think they're clearly two different songs. Not sure if the so called expanded universe or official canon ever gave them titles or not.
I looked this up on Wookieepedia.
The first song when they enter the cantina has been given the in-story title Mad About Me.
The second song, with Han's introduction, is titled Dune Sea Special.
Of course take it or leave it as your personal canon.
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Mad_About_Me
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Dune_Sea_Special
Good info, thanks .
shareYep. There are two songs.
shareI have a strong feeling that John Williams was partly inspired by by the music of Raymond Scott. A jazz band leader, and later an electronic music pioneer, that Williams father had played the drums in.
Raymond Scott's particular style was what you might almost call "novelty jazz". It took licks and varied them throughout the arrangement so that they almost sound improvised in the jazz idiom, but it was very carefully planned out to keep to a quite rigid progression in a swing feel. The results were kind of crazy sounding but always tight.
This music later became the foundation for much of the score that Carl Stalling arranged for the Golden period of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons in the 1930s and 1940s.
One or two tracks from Raymond Scott at that time did have a sort of two part structure, with a fast part alternating with a slightly less fast part.
The most famous example of this kind of arrangement, both on its own AND in the form it was used in for many, many cartoon chase or factory conveyor belt scenes is Powerhouse.
Here is a video of the Raymond Scott Quintette, featuring John Williams' father "Johnny", playing Powerhouse on TV sometime in the fifties.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfDqR4fqIWE
Check out Raymond's album Reckless Nights & Turkish Twilights to hear more music that could conceivably been played by the modal nodes, and to hear a few tunes that you may remember from the cartoons.
"Who can't use the Force now?! I can still use the Force!" - Yarael Poof