<P> Lyrically, the song refers to the ongoing Afghan war and also makes several allusions to World War I and World War II . The lyrics also criticise diplomacy, especially in the final refrain: "what if I take my problem to the United Nations?" This refrain is based on a lyric from Eddie Cochran's "Summertime Blues" and most reviews of Let England Shake recognised the similarity . Harvey was granted permission to use the lyric and noted the inclusion in the album's liner notes . </P> <P> "The Words That Maketh Murder" was released to British radio in early January 2011 and was premiered by Zane Lowe on BBC Radio 1 on 11 January 2011 . At the time, there were no plans to release a single of the song domestically; however, it was announced in early February that the song would be issued as a single . Released digitally on 6 February, and as a 7" vinyl on 7 February, the song accompanied Harvey's appearances with John Wilson on BBC Radio 4's Front Row . It was eventually featured as the fourth track on Let England Shake, released on 14 February 2011 . The song was also heavily promoted through in - studio radio performances by Harvey . </P> <P> Critical reception of the song, as well as the album, was positive . Rolling Stone described the song as "fairly peppy for a PJ Harvey song about murder" and rated it three stars out of five . In Pitchfork Media's review of Let England Shake, Scott Plagenhoef stated that "Harvey blackly and comically shakes her head at those post-WWI diplomatic hopes" and described it as "a hilariously depressing coda; her song's character has experienced the unimaginable and is looking to an international peacekeeping body for help ." Plagenhoef also cited it as the album's key song, alongside "Written on the Forehead ." The Guardian described the song as "a masterstroke" and stated "Harvey clearly understands that the horror doesn't really need embellishing: her way sounds infinitely more shocking and affecting than all the machine - gun sound effects in the world ." Patti Smith, to whom Harvey has been compared in the past by critics, hailed the single . Speaking to The Guardian in January 2011, Smith said: "It just makes me happy to exist . Whenever anyone does something of worth, including myself, it just makes me happy to be alive . So I listened to that song all morning, totally happy ." </P> <P> After viewing Seamus Murphy's award - winning "A Darkness Visible" exhibition in London in 2008, which she noted as having "an emotional impact", and purchasing his book, Harvey contacted Murphy as she "wanted to speak to him more about his experiences being there in Afghanistan ." Murphy saw Harvey perform and the collaboration began with her requesting him to take promotional photographs for Let England Shake in July 2010 . In addition to the album's photography, originally Harvey and Murphy planned to record a documentary of the recording process of the album; however, instead, twelve short films, one for each of the album's songs, were made . Each film incorporates a mix of still photography and video documenting the album's themes "in the manner of classic photographic reportage - recording real & spontaneous situations ." Murphy travelled throughout England alone "with little equipment", due to a low budget and lack of assistants, and after photography, directing and producing the films solely by himself, edited the final product in Berlin, Germany with video editor Sebastian Gollek . </P>

Gonna take my problem to the united nations