Following the success of "Irish Blood, English Heart", from the same album, the single reached the number six spot in the UK Singles Chart, giving Morrissey two top ten hits in a row for the first time since "The Last of the Famous International Playboys" and "Interesting Drug" both reached the top ten in 1989.

The single was A-Listed by BBC Radio 2 and received much more exposure than "Irish Blood, English Heart", propelling it onto the UK top 40 airplay chart.

The song, which tells the story of a gang member named Hector, is seen as a tribute to Morrissey's significant Hispanic fanbase.

A cover version of the song was recorded by the singer Zee Avi, featured on her 2009 self-titled debut album.

A Spanish-language version of the song entitled El Primero del Gang was included on Mexrrissey's 2016 album No Manchester.