"fear itself" is about being fired "from the job you always professed to hate" and contains a reference to john maynard keynes. "the krugman blues" references the "gloomy mien of one's favourite economic pundit", paul krugman, whom wainwright met on a train to boston. wainwright believed krugman's sense of melancholy made for a "compelling and challenging character". "spooky" sound effects, suggested by dick connette, were added to the track "halloween 2009". wainwright wrote "middle of the night" a few years prior to the album's release in an attempt to "cheer [himself] up and also to purvey an optimistic point of view for a change". "cash for clunkers" refers to the car allowance rebate system, a united states federal scrappage program active during summer 2009. "got a ukulele" features wainwright performing the titular instrument, which he believes was popular during the 1920s–1930s due to its ability to improve "one's mood and general outlook".