'"[3] The abrupt nature of Andy Taylor's departure was reflected in the song; according to Le Bon, the lyric "Who really gives a damn for a flaky bandit" was a diss at the guitarist.

[citation needed] In a contemporary review, Billboard praised the song's production calling it "Anglo-funk, sharp, tidy, made for dancing.

The music video for "Notorious" was shot at a warehouse in Manhattan by directors Peter Kagan and Paula Greif and was released on October 23, 1986, weeks before the album which saw heavy rotation on MTV.

[6] The video was shot in black and white Super-8 with a hand-held camera, with quick cuts and changes of zoom and focus featuring the three-piece band and Nile Rodgers performing the song on a sound stage, with scantily clad dancers in the background choreographed by Paula Abdul.

The young model Christy Turlington appeared in outdoor scenes with the band, with a still photo from this location being used as the cover for the Notorious album.