The song is built upon a "brawny, undulating" riff performed in . Lead singer Alex Turner has noted that the composition was inspired by the production techniques of R&B producers like Timbaland , where instruments are manipulated as "building blocks" rather than traditional rock layers.
Written on a 12-string Vox Star Stream guitar, the riff acts as the song's primary hook, characterized by its "stomping" and "steady" pace. Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna Know
Lyrically, the song portrays an "obsessive lover" paralyzed by the fear of knowing the truth. The song is built upon a "brawny, undulating"
