a Woody Guthrie track; bassist Paul Duffy said his part was influenced by the work of the Beach Boys. "Don't Think You're the First" begins similar to songs by the Doors, with a key change during the middle section, accompanied by a melodica, before leading into dub reggae. The title was inspired from an occasion where Skelly played what he thought was a new chord shape. While Duffy said it influenced by a song by Nat King Cole, the rest of the band said the music was a homage to the sound of Joe Meek, with guitarist Lee Southall using part of his instrument to make Meek-like percussion. "Liezah" is an acoustic song, with a melody evoking Belle and Sebastian, that talks about a character that was influenced by The Sun Also Rises (1926) by Ernest Hemingway. Power and Skelly wrote it while they were travelling to Birmingham. shortly after Ryder-Jones showed Skelly how to play a Simon & Garfunkel track on guitar. The band compared the Moby Grape-indebted "Talkin' Gypsy Market Blues" to work of Cheech & Chong and "Motorpsycho Nitemare" (1964) by Bob Dylan. Skelly wrote it after he bought a pair of boots from a gypsy market while holidaying with his girlfriend in Portugal. "Secret Kiss" is a slower song with an organ part in the vein of the Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek, and a clipping guitar riff styled after Pink Floyd. It came about after listening to the Chordettes, Love and ballroom music, with one of the lyrics being directly take from "Soft Sands" (1957) by the Chordettes. "Milkwood Blues", which includes jazz breakdowns and ends with a violin, discusses being in a small town while tripping on acid. It features Wills reading from Under Milk Wood (1954) by Thomas. "Bill McCai" is an upbeat folk rock song about a sad middle-aged man who dies by its conclusion. The track, which pre-dated their debut album, was initially passed on when Ian Skelly thought it sounded closer to Travis. "Eskimo Lament" features gentle piano, plucked guitarwork and a trumpet; Power said he wanted it to have a "funeral procession feel", attempting to emulate "I'm Only Sleeping" (1966) by the Beatles and "Rockin' Chair" (1969) by the Band. With the ballad "Careless Hands", which sees James Skelly's voice recall Lee Mavers of the La's, Skelly wanted to compose a track that "Jonny Mathis could sing". "Pass It On"