PJ Harvey long intended to write an album about world affairs that you could also sing along to, which came to fruition in 2011 with Let England Shake. She made a conscious effort to avoid standard protest-song form on the album and on lead single "The Words That Maketh Murder," explaining "The words are very heavy going...the music I tried to make as uplifting and beautiful and rousing as I could...to offset this weight that was in the words," she said. The refrain "What if I take my problems to the United Nations?" pays homage to Eddie Cochran's lyrics in "Summertime Blues."