The song did not appear on any of the band's studio albums; it reached number 4 in the UK Singles Chart.

The book was one of songwriter Paul Weller's favourites, being chosen by him when he appeared on Desert Island Discs.

The band's record company Polydor later stated that they believed "Tales from the Riverbank" should have been released as the A-side.

[3] The video to "Absolute Beginners" was filmed in the neighbourhood around Nomis Studios in Shepherd's Bush, London.

The video includes footage of the band running around terraced streets in the vicinity of the studios, chasing a camera tied to the rear of a vehicle.