Amos also took inspiration from the stories of her grandfather, who she claims was Cherokee and told her of the abuses against Native Americans throughout the United States' history.

The self-produced album diverts from the electronica and trip hop-influenced sounds of From the Choirgirl Hotel and To Venus and Back and marks a return to the stripped-back sound of her earlier work with a greater emphasis on live instrumentation and Amos's piano, while also incorporating new keyboard instruments into the arrangements, such as the prominent use of Wurlitzer and Fender Rhodes electric pianos.

[4] It spawned the singles "A Sorta Fairytale", "Taxi Ride", and "Don't Make Me Come to Vegas", the former reaching number two on the US adult alternative chart and becoming one of her most popular songs.

Scarlet's Walk was the follow-up to Amos' previous album Strange Little Girls, which was released in 2001 and fulfilled her contract with Atlantic Records.

[citation needed] In addition to cementing her longest-running backing lineup, guitar contributions were also made by David Torn and Robbie McIntosh.

At the time, Amos' recent releases experimented heavily with electronic elements, with extensive use of synthesizers in place of her piano on many songs.

[6]Additionally, she looked to 1970s-era albums as references for the songs' overall structures and sound, with Fleetwood Mac's Rumours and Neil Young's Harvest being listed as particularly significant influences.

[8] The song describes the toll the character's work has taken on her and how her dreams of becoming a successful actress have gone awry ("From ballet class to lap dance and straight to video").

"A Sorta Fairytale", the album's first single, tells the story of the melancholy of Scarlet's experience taking a drive up the Pacific Coast Highway with someone whom she is in a failing relationship with.

As Amos described in the "Scarlet's Walk bio", a press release for the album, "They take the big trip in the classic car up the Pacific Coast highway and across the desert.

The Scarlet's Walk bio describes this part of the character's journey as "[taking] her to the sites of some of the last stands of the native American people, including Little Big Horn.

America's in there, and specific places and things, Native American history and pornography and a girl on a plane who'll never get to New York, and Oliver Stone and Andrew Jackson and madness and a lot more.

Featuring prominent fretless bass playing from Evans, "Don't Make Me Come to Vegas" revolves around Scarlet struggling with a call from her niece who is being mistreated by a man she has committed to a relationship with.

In "Sweet Sangria", Scarlet meets a "revolutionary-type character" fighting American intervention in Central and South America.

[12] The song sees Scarlet encounter a "Messiah figure" who exploits his power and influence: "He doesn't uphold the values which he preaches.

[12] "Mrs. Jesus" depicts Scarlet's encounter with a character of the same name; the song tackles the subject of religious fanatisicm and the effects of Christianity on America's history.

[12] "Taxi Ride" is a partial homage to the late make-up artist Kevyn Aucoin, a friend of Amos's who died in May 2002, and served as the second single from the album.

[12] Scarlet makes her way into Florida in "Another Girl's Paradise", a song which relates to the different dimensions of relationships between women, and feelings of envy and intimidation.

In the heavily orchestrated closing track, "Gold Dust", Scarlet has given birth to her daughter and has the experience of having another life depending on her.

As another incentive to curb piracy, the physical CD release provided entry to "Scarlet's Web", a website that was the sole source for additional tracks, tour photos, and other content.

"A Sorta Fairytale" (backed with the non-album track "Operation Peter Pan") was released as the album's first single and reached number two on the US Triple A chart and 14 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 and became one of her biggest radio hits.

[17] PopMatters gave the album a score of 9 out of 10 and referred to it as "As ambitious as anything in recent pop music memory," going on to call it "one of the most invigorating and arresting works of her career."