“It was the best of times, the worst of crimes”
Angela & Uncle Jerry identify the opening line as a direct twist on the famous opening of Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities. Uncle Jerry notes that Dickens is renowned for his novel openings and that Taylor takes the opening line, which demonstrates internal rhyme, and gives it a twist by substituting 'crimes' for 'times.' Uncle Jerry describes this as a conflation where she preserves the recognisable source phrase while generating a novel meaning. He connects the original's contrast of London and Paris during the French Revolution to Taylor's own contrasting situation.
Angela & Uncle Jerry discuss great last lines of literature in the context of 'Don't read the last page.' Uncle Jerry quotes the famous closing line of A Tale of Two Cities, and Angela connects Dickens back to the Reputation album by noting that Getaway Car opens with 'it was the best of times, it was the worst of crimes,' a twist on Dickens's famous opening.