The Greatest Showman, the 2017 musical starring an ensemble led by Hugh Jackman, presents a dramatized version of PT Barnum and his legendary circus troupe. The film drew praise for its acting, production design, and, perhaps most importantly, its music. The soundtrack has its fair share of iconic songs mostly sung by the cast members, written by Oscar-winning composers and songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (of La La Land fame).
Additionally, the film’s soundtrack was also remade as The Greatest Showman Reimagined, a compilation album consisting of the film’s tracks reworked by mainstream artists like Kesha, Pink, Ty Dolla Sign, Panic At The Disco, and many more.
This Is Me Got A Heartfelt Video Starring The Cast Of Queer Eye
The Reimagined Remix of the film’s multiple award-nominated single This Is Me featured vocals from Kesha and Missy Elliot. Its accompanying video proved to be a treat for fans of the Netflix reality show Queer Eye.
The video features three students getting the “much more than a Makeover” experience by the cast members of Queer Eye as they prepare them for a school talent show. All members of the show’s Fab Five are featured, save for Karamo Brown.
Rebecca Ferguson Never Sang In The Film
It’s ironic to note that while Rebecca Ferguson plays real-life opera songstress Jenny Lind. The so-called Swedish Nightingale’s vocals stand out in the song Never Enough. While Ferguson did sing for her audition, American singer Loren Allred provided the voice for Lind in the final cut.
Allred dubbed Ferguson’s character, who is portrayed as the greatest opera singer in the film. Some might recognize her vocals from The Voice, as Loren Allred made it to the top 20 in the singing show’s third season.
Ryan Lewis Shares A Credit For The Greatest Show
The Greatest Show is a highly uplifting song that opens the film, perfectly capturing the rousing spirit of the circus’s characters. While Pasek and Paul share writing credits like every song on the soundtrack, even producer and songwriter Ryan Lewis has additionally penned the lyrics.
Lewis is mostly known for his collaborations with fellow Seattle-based rapper Macklemore, with whom he produced the Grammy-winning album The Heist.
Most Of The Cast Has Musical Experience
The Greatest Showman was Hugh Jackman’s passion project, as the Australian actor has been an avid fan of musicals. He started his musical career with a TV adaptation of Oklahoma in the 1990s, following it up with the character of Jean Valjean in Tom Hooper’s musical drama Les Miserables.
The other cast members have similar musical experiences. Zac Efron broke out as a teen heartthrob, starring as the lead in the three High School Musicalfilms, followed by a supporting role in Hairspray. Keala Settle has had a stellar musical theatre career, having starred in the musical versions of the aforementioned Les Miserables and Hairspray. Zendaya too has been a singer, having released singles since 2011, the latest being Euphoria‘s All For Us.
This Is Me Was Originally Written For Tom Thumb
In an interview, Pasek revealed that This Is Me was initially written from the perspective of the dwarf Tom Thumb, instead of Lettie Lutz, the bearded lady. “It was kind of a little, like, folk tune on the ukulele. A song about how we’re oddities and that’s who we are.” Paul added.
The song was then sung by Lettie, when the musical duo wished to add a more anthemic feel to the song, to celebrate all oddities. They also knew Keala Settle from her Broadway background. “When we began to think about it, in her voice and what her voice is able to do, and also what she brings to the table, just who she is as a human being and it began to really click for us about what the song could be,” says Pasek.
PT Barnum Was Ahead Of Its Time, Just Like The Modern Feel Of The Songs
Even though The Greatest Showman is set in the 19th century, its songs evoke a more modern and electronic sound, rather than a conventional, aged tone that would sound more realistic for the film’s era.
Part of the reason was to show how Barnum was a man way ahead of his times, as can be seen from his long-running circus that similarly influenced many other carnival attractions. In the same interview as above, Paul stressed how PT Barnum was a “larger than life figure,” the “Steve Jobs” and “Jay Z” of his time, so to speak.
Hugh Jackman Sang From Now On With A Bleeding Nose
Hugh Jackman has had several growths in his body due to skin cancer, the last being on his nose that got surgically removed. Following surgery, he was advised not to immediately engage in activities like singing that would put pressure on the nose.
Jackman complied during a read-through for the film’s executive. However, by the last song (From Now On), Jackman couldn’t resist, and his nose started bleeding halfway through the song! He uploaded a recording of this on his Instagram, with his caption, reading “did it anyway. And after… I ran back to get restitched. Worth it!!!”
This Is Me Was Written On A Flight
Initially, each of Pasek and Paul’s songs were individual pitches to the studio executives and director Michael Gracey. In August of 2015, they were expected to record a demo in Los Angeles and send it within two days. With no time to waste, they carried a laptop and a midi-keyboard en route. They ended up writing and figuring out the basic composition of “This Is Me” during this flight.
As Paul puts it himself in an interview with Variety, “it was a valuable five hours. We wrote most of it on that flight.”
Pink Recorded A Cover Of A Million Dreams With Her Daughter
In The Greatest Showman Reimagined, Pink sang A Million Dreams, featuring vocals from her 7-year-old daughter Willow Sage Hart. In an adorable behind-the-scenes video, the Just Give Me A Reason hitmaker adjusts the mic for her child and helps her in mouthing a few lyrics. Pink’s previous stint with a film soundtrack was when she wrote and performed the song “Just Like Fire” for Alice Through The Looking Glass.
The Album Had A Stellar Run On The Charts
The original soundtrack of the film proved to be a major moneymaker. Not only did The Greatest Showman: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack became the highest-selling album of 2018 in the United States, it also became the longest-running soundtrack at number one in the UK album charts after 50 years.
In the UK charts, the album also reigned at the top for 28 non-consecutive weeks. This made it the longest-reigning album of the decade, breaking the record set by Adele’s 21 that stayed at number one for 23 weeks.
