"Deadman's Spiral was a term coined by our manager, Gene Iacono, which describes the vicious cycle of behavior which can lead to one's downfall. Frank Hanson, an astute observer of behavior, decided to write about young people in his own neighborhood who were beginning to engage in such self destructive behaviors. The story is fictitious but the character is based on a real person.Since that time, sadly, his lyrics have proven to be prophetic. The song and the subject matter were both heavily influenced by the music of Steely Dan. The groove is even a variation on the famous "Purdy shuffle" used in several classic Steely Dan songs. It is one of the finer compositions and arrangements by Matt Snyder and contains all of the hallmarks of a Thin Ice song such as ensemble horn and guitar parts, solos, and a distinctly jazzy sound.