The anti-war protest song is written from the perspective of a soldier fighting on the Western Front of World War I, mentioning the battles at Gommecourt, Thiepval, Mametz and Verdun in France.

Instrumentation on "Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)" is limited to Zombies keyboardist Rod Argent playing a pump organ in a manner described by Allmusic critic Matthew Greenwald as "odd-sounding.

[2][3] "Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)" is White's only lead vocal performance for The Zombies, with the exception of one verse of the Odessey and Oracle track "Brief Candles".

[2] Although "Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)" was the band's "most soberly uncommercial song," Date Records chose it to release as the second single from Odessey and Oracle in the United States, on the recommendation of Al Kooper and with the label believing that its implicit commentary on the Vietnam War would resonate with a young audience.

"[6] Arts writer Matt Kivel called the song a "creepy war ballad" and noted that it showed The Zombies experimenting with instrumentation in more imaginative ways than any contemporary band besides the Beatles.

[11] Allmusic critic Stewart Mason praised the "sneering hardcore punk setting" the group used for the song, stating that it "fits the horrific wartime imagery perfectly.