Catch Me If You Can (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) accompanies the 2002 biographical crime drama Catch Me If You Can, directed by Steven Spielberg. The original score was composed and conducted by John Williams, a legendary film composer known for his work on Star Wars, Indiana Jones, E.T., and many other seminal scores. Williams’ music for the film blends light jazz-inflected orchestral elements with subtle melodic themes that reflect the cat‑and‑mouse dynamic of the story and its 1960s setting.
Release Information: The soundtrack album Catch Me If You Can: Music from the Motion Picture was released on December 10, 2002, by DreamWorks Records. It contains 16 tracks combining Williams’ original score with a selection of period songs, runs approximately 62 minutes and 26 seconds, and is available on major platforms including Apple Music and digital download formats; the original CD release marked the score’s first official issue.
Music Description: Williams’ score leans into a breezy, retro jazz‑oriented sound, with prominent solo alto saxophone and light orchestral textures that evoke the film’s playful, nostalgic mood. The music supports both the exhilaration of the protagonist’s adventures and the emotional undercurrents of his personal relationships, creating a cohesive musical palette that complements Spielberg’s narrative.
Licensed Music Note: The soundtrack also includes licensed 1960s popular music performed by artists such as Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Nat King Cole, and Dusty Springfield, enhancing the period atmosphere, though these songs are separate from Williams’ original score.
About the Track John Williams – “Catch Me If You Can”
The opening track “Catch Me If You Can” is instantly recognizable as the musical embodiment of the film itself. Its lively jazz rhythms, prominent alto saxophone, and playful orchestral textures capture the cat‑and‑mouse chase, charm, and energy of the protagonist. Listening to this cue is like experiencing the movie in miniature — it is the film in music, setting the tone, style, and personality of the story in just over two minutes.
Composer: John Williams
Release Date: December 10, 2002
Label: DreamWorks Records
Tracks: 16
Genre: Score
Catch Me If You Can: Tracklist
- John Williams – Catch Me If You Can (Main Titles)
- John Williams – The “Float”
- Frank Sinatra – Come Fly With Me
- John Williams – Recollections (The Father’s Theme)
- John Williams – The Airport Scene
- Stan Getz – The Girl From Ipanema
- John Williams – Learning the Ropes
- John Williams – Father and Son
- Judy Garland – Embraceable You (1940 Single Version)
- John Williams – The Flash Comics Clue
- John Williams – Deadheading
- Nat King Cole – The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)
- John Williams – A Broken Home
- John Williams – Doctor, Lawyer, Lutheran
- Dusty Springfield – The Look of Love
- John Williams – Catch Me If You Can (Reprise and End Credits)
