ðə fˈɜːst ænd θˈɜːd pˈɑːɹts hæv ˈɛpɪɡɹˌæfz pˈɑːɹt wˈʌn fɹʌm dˈiːkən blˈuːz sˈɔŋ “wˈeɪdʒᵻz dˈeɪ,” ænd pˈɑːɹt θɹˈiː fɹʌm ɐ pˈoʊᵻm baɪ ˈæŋɡəs kˈɔldɚ; ðə tˈaɪɾəl ʌv pˈɑːɹt tˈuː ɪz tˈeɪkən fɹʌm ɐ pˈoʊᵻm baɪ hjˈuː mˈæk dˈaɪəəmˌɪd wˌɪtʃ ɹᵻbjˈuːz kwˈoʊts tə hɪmsˈɛlf ɪn tʃˈæptɚ wˈʌn.
The first and third parts have epigraphs (Part 1 from Deacon Blue’s song “Wages Day,” and Part 3 from a poem by Angus Calder); the title of Part 2 is taken from a poem by Hugh MacDiarmid which Rebus quotes to himself in chapter 1.