Released as the B-side to the single "Good Times Roll", the song has received widespread airplay on American FM rock radio stations, and is generally played together with "Moving in Stereo" on AOR and classic rock radio stations.

The song afforded Hawkes a chance to step away from his many synthesizers and play the closing saxophone solo, the only one in the Cars' discography.

"[2] Classic Rock History critic Brian Kachejian rated "Moving in Stereo" combined with "All Mixed Up" as the Cars' all-time greatest song.

[3] Classic Rock History critic Emily Fagan rated it as the Cars 4th best song sung by Orr, saying that it "exemplifies the band’s ability to blend catchy pop melodies with deeper, more introspective themes.

"[4] Ultimate Classic Rock critic Dave Swanson rated it as the 2nd best Benjamin Orr Cars song, saying that "The haunting mood created on this track has no equal in the band's catalog" and that "Orr's vocal is full of yearning, confusion and drama.