Featuring 13 unreleased songs written prior to the screenplay by Reed himself, Songs from The Bigtop features an array of artists performing the movie's original songs, with Reed matching each one to compliment the artists’ individual talents.
The film, releasing in early 2008, centers on the life of Vincent O'Malley, a young man who runs away with the circus only to become consumed by his desire for power and the love of a woman. Forming a musical trajectory, the soundtrack reflects the arc of the film by introducing free-spirited melodies portraying Vincent's youthful days on the prairie and later transitioning to the darker songs reflecting the obsessive mania of his later years.