It was Harris's first studio project, and was initially released on an unknown independent record label in Toronto.

[5] Barry Harris took inspiration from the Pet Shop Boys' 1987 single "Always on My Mind", which had repurposed Willie Nelson's 1982 country ballad into an upbeat synthpop song.

[1] The result was unique; Masterton wrote that Kon Kan's pop song "sounded like very little else on the market," and was quickly rewarded with chart success.

[6] "I Beg Your Pardon" also contains samples of other songs, including GQ's "Disco Nights (Rock-Freak)", Silver Convention's "Get Up and Boogie" and Tones on Tail's "Go!

[7] Music critic James Masterton wrote that the song was one of the first big club hits to contain prominent samples.