White Ship
The album's centerpiece is the song "The White Ship", which was directly inspired by author H. P. Lovecraft's short story "The White Ship". Written by Edwards, Michaels, and the band's lead guitarist Tony Cavallari, the six-and-a-half-minute opus made use of baroque-style harpsichord, droning feedback, somber harmonies, and the chiming of an 1811 ship's bell. The song was released in an edited form as a single, shortly after its appearance on the album, but it failed to reach the "Billboard" Hot 100. In addition, the full-length album version of "The White Ship" went on to become something of an underground FM radio favorite in America.