A gentle-tempoed groove, "Crystal Blue Persuasion" was built around a prominent organ part with an understated arrangement, more akin to The Rascals' sound at the time than to James's contemporary efforts with psychedelic rock.

[4] At the time of the song's release there were several popular types of high quality blue-colored LSD tablets in circulation—some listeners generally assumed James was referring to "acid".

Tito Puente, Joe Bataan, The Heptones, Morcheeba, Concrete Blonde, Jack Wagner, and John Wesley Harding are among those who have covered the song.

"Crystal Blue Persuasion" has appeared in the films A Walk on the Moon (1999), The Secret Life of Girls (1999), Zodiac (2007), The Nanny Diaries (2007), and the TV show How to Make it in America (2010).

The name references the character in the book, Crystalia Amaquelin, the blue area of the moon where part of the story takes place, and the plotline which is formed around coercing Crystal to return to the Inhumans.

[17] The title is referenced in "He Do the Police in Different Voices", the opening track from the 1993 album Plants and Birds and Rocks and Things by The Loud Family.