Written jointly by lead singer Philip Oakey, keyboard players Jo Callis and Adrian Wright, it was recorded at AIR Studios during 1983–1984.

The band had taken up residence in the £1,000-per-day AIR Studios; they were there a full year and were reportedly agonising and arguing over every note of every track.

Nick Heyward (formerly of Haircut One Hundred) famously mocked the Human League in the media for taking the same time to program one drum machine as it took him to record his entire album at AIR Studios.

[citation needed] "Life on Your Own" is heavily drum machine and synthesizer led, in stark contrast to the rock style of the band's previous single "The Lebanon".

After the 'Faux concert' scenario of "The Lebanon", the Human League returned to a themed story telling promotional video.