Golden Trunks

This song contains a rare Arctic Monkeys political lyric, as singer and lyricist Alex Turner "re-imagines the "leader of the free world" as a "wrestler wearing tight golden trunks." "In the past I've struggled to find the poetry in [politics] and I think I've managed a way to find it this time, with some encouragement," he told Billboard. "I've always thought that, writing anything that relates to politics, it's a lot to do with the way you go about it. Being able to write about the power of allusion and suggestion is important to keep in mind."

Turner expanded on the "The leader of the free world reminds you of a wrestler wearing tight golden trunks" lyric to Pitchfork. "Yeah, as soon as you say those words, it rather steals the show, he admitted. "But I was almost attracted to how cumbersome the phrase 'the leader of the free world' is, especially now. There are some things that are really hard to get to work phonetically, but the tune somehow allows it. In this case, when I go, [sings grandly] 'the leader of the free world,' it's suddenly amusing. It's kind of Disney, that melody."

Despite the Donald Trump reference, "Golden Trunks" is closer to a romantic tune than a political track. Turner said: "That song is definitely centered around a female character, and it's the closest thing to a love song that's on this record. I made this character, and she had this idea about what was going on. The line came to me through that; I thought of the WWF."