"[4] The band approached Moroder due to his work on a number of Hollywood film scores, as well as his early Donna Summer records, with the latter inspiring the band's trademark repetitive, synthetic bass sound.

[6] The song features vocals with high echo and uses multiple sound effects to create a futuristic atmosphere.

The 'Ultraviolence Mix' begins with a sample from Stanley Kubrick's 1971 film A Clockwork Orange where Malcolm McDowell's character, Alex, professes his fondness for a bit "of the old ultra-violence".

None of the movie samples included in the originally released version of the single were cleared, resulting in film director Kubrick taking action against the band, who were forced to pay him a substantial fee.

[4] All samples were removed for the US release of the track, with some replaced by re-recordings using voice mimics, a move founding band member Tony James blames for "killing the record" in America.