"Angel" is about visiting a doctor; part of the lyrics were lifted from a newspaper article that quoted Marlene Dietrich. Ryder wrote "Cut 'Em Loose Bruce" after hearing a story of a judge letting crack users off scot-free. With the song, Whelan said the band attempt to make darker Caribbean music. "Theme from Netto" is an instrumental track – Ryder claimed "Netto is Mancunian for Nothing" – that Davis wanted to write, and is followed by the 1970s disco song "Love Child".Sawyer 1992, p. 47Ryder 2012, p. 286 The final song of the album, "Cowboy Dave", was written in reference to Dave Rowbotham, former guitarist of Factory band the Durutti Column who was murdered by an unknown assailant; the song speculates that the perpetrator was his girlfriend, who discovered his body. The members of Happy Mondays were questioned by the police as they were Factory associates and involved with drugs. Ryder said the lyrics were "what was said in that police interview, pretty much word for word".
