ðɪ ˈælbəm wʌz spˈɪɹhɛdᵻd baɪ ðə jˈuː.ˈɛs. tˈɑːp fˈoːɹɾi hˈɪt, "dˈoʊnt pˈeɪ ðə fˈɛɹɪmən", ɐn ʌpbˈiːt, mɪθˈɑːlədʒitˈɪndʒd pˈɑːp ɹˈɑːk sˈɔŋ ðæt ɪvˈoʊks ˈɪmɪdʒᵻz ʌvðə ɡɹˈɪm ɹˈiːpɚ, wˌɪtʃ ˈɔːlsoʊ bɪkˌeɪm hɪz fˈɜːst jˌuːkˈeɪ hˈɪt sˈɪŋɡəl, ɹˈiːtʃɪŋ nˈʌmbɚ fˈoːɹɾi ˈeɪt.
The album was spearheaded by the U.S. top 40 hit, "Don't Pay the Ferryman", an upbeat, mythology-tinged pop rock song that evokes images of the Grim Reaper, which also became his first UK hit single, reaching number 48.