The song paraphrases parts of several of Prime Minister Winston Churchill's famous speeches including "Never was so much owed by so many to so few", "We shall fight on the beaches", and "This was their finest hour".

The song features a striking example of integration of sound effects into an arrangement, in this case a vintage air-raid siren which introduces a new section.

Unlike other tracks on Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire), "Mr. Churchill Says" has generally received mixed reviews from critics.

Rolling Stone's J.R. Young praised the track, saying that "on "Mr. Churchill Says" the band moves effortlessly into a three or four part number, changing the tempo, the mood, and the melody while never losing a superb dancing beat.

"[3] However, in his book, Preservation: The Kinks' Music 1964–1974, Andrew Hickey said that the track is "one of the lesser songs on the album, but a necessary breather after the intensity of 'Shangri-La'.