It was written by lead singer Graham "Suggs" McPherson and guitarist Chris Foreman,[2] and reminisces about school days.

"[5] He contrasted "Baggy Trousers" with Pink Floyd's hit "Another Brick in the Wall": "I was writing about my time at school.

[3] The band's saxophone player, Lee Thompson decided he wanted to fly through the air for his solo, with the use of wires hanging from a crane.

The slow version was later released on the box set A Guided Tour of Madness under the title "Le Grand Pantalon".

[3] Following the release of "Baggy Trousers", the public began to anticipate future Madness music videos.

In 1983, Colgate used the song's melody in a television advertisement written by Jay Pond-Jones and Ric Cooper in which a group of kids including actor Lee Ross sing newly written lyrics about Colgate Blue Minty Gel toothpaste, a variant of which was later used in the United States.