The song was the first international hit for Gossip, reaching the top ten across Europe, with a massive commercial success in Germany.

Singer Beth Ditto explained to the NME that the song is: "about recreation and my friends, who I feel like are the ultimate creative re-creators.

"[3] Composer and guitarist Nathan Howdeshell explained: "Heavy Cross' was an attempt to make my guitar sound like an Italo synth line.

I had been listening to Charlie's 'Spacer Woman' and still can't get over the arpeggiated synth, so I detuned my strings to be the same notes and muted it and then came that song.

They had started their 2007 Glastonsbury concert at the John Peel stage, performing an early version of it which was broadcast on BBC television.