The song, along with "Reason to Believe," was one of the two major songwriting hits from the album,[1] with more than a dozen cover versions having been recorded following its release.
[2] British radio presenter and writer Charlie Gillett noted the song's ability to achieve "the elusive balance between personal miseries and universal sufferings,"[3] while author Mark Brend praised the song's "fragile pop sensibilities" and how it contrasted with the "swaggering" R&B of album track "Ain't Gonna Do Without.
The single's B-side, "Two Days 'Til Tomorrow," was a favorite of lead vocalist Sal Valentino, who called it the band's "greatest" song.
[5] It was included on the 2007 compilation album Love Is the Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965–1970,[6] and was called a "sublime bit of pop drama" by Pitchfork Media music critic Joe Tangari.
[8] In 1967, the song was covered by Marianne Faithfull, Scott McKenzie, Rick Nelson, and Gary Lewis & the Playboys.