[2][3] Many lines refer to earlier Beatles songs, including "Strawberry Fields Forever", "I Am the Walrus", "Lady Madonna", "The Fool on the Hill", and "Fixing a Hole".

The song also refers to the "Cast Iron Shore", a coastal area of south Liverpool known to local people as "The Cazzy".

Starr briefly left the group during recording sessions for the album, and drums on both "Back in the U.S.S.R." and "Dear Prudence" were played by Paul McCartney.

Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of its release, Jacob Stolworthy of The Independent listed "Glass Onion" at number 10 in his ranking of the 30 tracks on The Beatles.

The remix features elements of "Hello, Goodbye"; "Things We Said Today"; "Only A Northern Song"; "Magical Mystery Tour"; "Eleanor Rigby"; and "Penny Lane".