"Creep" explores the intense feelings of obsessive, unrequited attraction and self-lacerating rage. The lyrics were inspired by a woman the songwriter had followed, and his discomfort in certain social settings, leading to the feeling of not belonging. The song's composition uses pivot notes to create a bittersweet, doomy atmosphere, with a chord progression that mirrors the emotional journey of the lyrics, "creeping" up with optimism and descending into self-pity. It captures the struggle to assert oneself while feeling like an outsider.