Anthems of heartbreak, odes to inarticulatable sadness, paeans to the dead! According to Pareles, most of the album's songs are pop rock paeans or midtempo ballads. The workers cheerfully chant paeans and songs of liberty. Paeons were often used in the traditional Greek hymn to Apollo called paeans. Paeans meant to be sung on the battlefield were accompanied by aulos and kithara. The lyrics feature erotic narratives and paeans to sexuality. The most famous paeans are those of Bacchylides and Pindar. Besides collecting paeans to Queen Victoria, Susan's own writings honor strong pioneering women.