[13] Sylvian, as on his earlier solo albums, continued to reference artists, writers and thinkers who were influencing him, though here he utilised the technique of using, within certain songs, snippets of the voices of particular figures.

[15] Recording his compositions, Sylvian collaborated with a number of musicians such as guitarists Robert Fripp and Bill Nelson, his brother Steve Jansen and Richard Barbieri from his earlier band Japan, jazz pianist John Taylor, bassist Ian Maidman, Kenny Wheeler and Harry Beckett on flugelhorns, saxophonist Mel Collins and pedal steel guitarist B.J.

[16] The original cover art by Russell Mills was largely inspired by Sylvian's then-current interest in Rosicrucianism and Gnosticism, particularly the writings of Robert Fludd.

[14] Original UK, US and Japanese CD pressings omit four of the instrumentals: "Silver Moon Over Sleeping Steeples", "Camp Fire: Coyote Country", "A Bird of Prey Vanishes into a Bright Blue Cloudless Sky" and "Sunlight Seen Through Towering Trees".

In 2003, the album was re-released in a double-disc format that mirrors the original vinyl release, and included three bonus remixes, while shortening the intro to "Before the Bullfight".

[citation needed] In February 2019, as part of a redesigned monochrome sleeved vinyl reissue batch of his 1980s material, Gone To Earth was released as a double album with a black-and-white picture of Sylvian replacing the original artwork.

Sounds' Chris Roberts praised the album: "it's the perfect realisation of artist converting image to mood, subverting fantasy to super-reality.