The D verses are not unlike The Beatles' song "Dear Prudence". The official sheet music folio lists the chord progression as D, to D/C, to D/B (enharmonic to a B minor seventh chord), to D/B♭ (enharmonic to a B♭ augmented major seventh chord), and video exists of Ocasek performing the song, solo on acoustic guitar, according to this progression. However, other transcriptionists describe the chord progression as D to D/C, to G/B, to Gm/B♭, which is identical to the verses of "Dear Prudence". Either way, the last chord of the verse is a G minor sixth chord, transitioning to the chorus in B minor. Each verse is introduced with a guitar melody by Elliot Easton, who layers several clean-tone guitar parts over the synthesizer-dominated arrangement. There is also a horn-like synth solo by Greg Hawkes, played over the chorus progression.