In December of 2017, The Greatest Showman was released in theaters everywhere. It was a huge hit, from it’s star-studded cast to its lovable characters and intricate choreography. One of the most impressive aspects of the film is its catchy and upbeat soundtrack. As if the original soundtrack wasn’t magical enough, on November 16th the album will be re-released with alternative and pop artists debuting their takes on the popular songs.
So far, three singles from the reimagined soundtrack have been released. Panic! At The Disco, P!nk, and P!nk’s daughter, Willow, have all tackled iconic numbers from the musical. Panic! is featured first, with their rendition of the opening song in the movie, “The Greatest Show.” Their version is much shorter than the original song, switching the long beginning full of “oh”s for a brief fast forward of orchestral sound. The intro is similar to the beginning of Panic!’s own song Death of a Bachelor, so right from the start their signature style is incorporated into the cover. For the rest of the song, Brendon Urie’s vocals echo the deep, raspy tone that Hugh Jackman conveys in the original. The backing track has the same poppy, fast paced vibe as the film’s version as well. The other members of the band contribute the vocals designated to members of the chorus in the movie. Overall, much of Panic!’s version is similar to the original while still showcasing Urie’s vocal talents and the alternative sound of the band.
Next on the tracklist is P!nk with her version of “A Million Dreams.” Her version changes greatly from the original due to the fact that the original song is sung by three different people. In the movie it spans across a great stretch of time, from when Barnum is a child to when he is grown with his wife and kids. In the reimagined version, P!nk sings the entirety of the song. The tone of both songs are similar in terms of mood, as the music is relaxed, but the lyrics and vocals are full of determined hopefulness. The original is generally quieter than the reimagined version, with the accompaniment at a much lower volume than the vocals in the film version. Following this cover is P!nk’s daughter singing “A Million Dreams (Reprise).” These songs are nearly identical, as children sing them both. However, Willow sings the children’s part as well as Hugh Jackman’s one line at the end of the song. The reimagined version is shorter, and the piano accompaniment is much more prominent than in the original, but Willow proves that talent runs in her family, capturing the listener despite the incredibly short length of the song.
After hearing the few songs that have already been released, there is much excitement for the entire reimagined album to be released. If you want to hear more poppy, alternative covers of the songs that stole your heart in the movie, be sure to listen to The Greatest Showman Reimagined when it is released on Friday, November 16th.
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