[2] It was originally intended to be included on the band's debut album, Crossing the Red Sea with the Adverts, but was dropped at the last minute.

[7][8] The song was called "anthemic punk" by Matthew Gilbert of The Boston Globe[9] and a "forgotten gem" by David Browne of Entertainment Weekly.

[15] "Gary Gilmore's Eyes" was covered, in cooperation with Adverts frontman T. V. Smith, in 1991 by the German punk band Die Toten Hosen, appearing on their album Learning English, Lesson One.

[19] In 2000, Smith collaborated with Punk Lurex OK, recording another version of the song which was included on their joint EP, The Future Used to Be Better.

[21] Finnish ska band the Valkyrians released a version of "Gary Gilmore's Eyes", with Smith guesting, on their 2011 album Punkrocksteady.