[4][5]: 70  Meanwhile, "Cold Life" bears influence of 1970's funk and soul acts,[6] and was written about Jourgensen's experience living in a Chicago African-American neighborhood.

[4] At one occasion, Jourgensen had presented a demo to Jim Nash, the co-founder and co-owner of the independent record label Wax Trax!

Impressed by demo once listening to it, Nash had offered Jourgensen to record a single, as well as to form a touring band.

[8][9] For the recording, beside the core line-up of Jourgensen, keyboardists John Davis and Robert Roberts and drummer Stephen George, also approached were backing vocalist Steve Brighton, bassist Lamont Welton, and a horn player Preston Klik (also of Big Hat and The Book of Holy Lies); Jourgensen assumed an English accent for his vocals on "Cold Life", like he did on "I'm Falling".

[8] Some time after, in March 1982, a British label Situation Two released the single in Europe with "Cold Life" as the A-side, as well as its extended dub version on the B-side.