 " Pyramids " is cited by writers as the album 's centerpiece . Brice Ezell from PopMatters wrote that it denotes " the vital midpoint of the overarching narrative " , where " the wittier tone of the record 's front half gives way to an emotionally dense second half . " Veering from synth @-@ funk to slow jam styles , the song has a lyrical conceit that uses Ancient Egyptian and Biblical imagery , and contrasts the legendary fall of Cleopatra VII with the circumstances of a latter @-@ day working girl , who dances at a strip club called the Pyramid to support her man 's gaudy aspirations . The new wave @-@ styled " Lost " is about a perplexed addict , who hopes for a better life for him and his drug @-@ cooking girlfriend . " Monks " , a funk rock song , is about finding nirvana and deals with topics such as casual sex and devout religion in a narrative that shifts from an exciting concert to a metaphorical jungle . " Bad Religion " features melodramatic , orchestral music and a series of figures , including strings , handclaps , marching band snare drums , and mournful organ chords . The lyrics follow an emotional confession to a taxi driver by a narrator brooding over a secretive intimate relationship . Music journalist Alexis Petridis asserted that the song " repurpos [ es ] the battle between religion and lust that 's been at the heart of soul music since it ceded from gospel " . 
