Yorke described "I Will" as "the angriest song I've ever written". Its lyrics were inspired by news footage of the Amiriyah shelter bombing in the Gulf War, which killed about 400 people, including children and families. "A Punchup at a Wedding" is a funk-influenced song that expresses the helplessness Yorke felt in the face of world events. For "Myxomatosis", a song built on a driving fuzz bassline, Radiohead sought to recreate the "frightening" detuned synthesiser sounds of 1970s and 80s new wave bands such as Tubeway Army.