The song was composed as a collaborative effort between Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory in late 2004 in the countryside of Bath, England.

[2] According to Goldfrapp, the song's lyrics are "a little bit more reflective and sensual" than those she had composed on Felt Mountain (2000) and Black Cherry (2003).

[4] The video is set in a plastic surgery clinic where the staff and the patients, except Alison Goldfrapp, have a dog's head and a human body.

The video depicts the story of a white poodle who is being operated on by Great Dane and Yorkshire Terrier surgeons (the receptionist and attendant nurses are saluki).

[4] The complete version of "Number 1" featured in the music video has been released commercially through CD singles and digital downloads, and some include remixes by Alan Braxe and Fred Falke.

In October 2005, Goldfrapp performed "Number 1" on British television shows and toured Europe, playing the single and other new songs.

[9] A DVD single was also issued and included the "Postcards from the Summer" music video and a special performance film for "Satin Chic".

[12] Stylus Magazine gave Supernature a C+ rating but called the song "refreshing and effective",[13] while About.com wrote that the track was "a stunning profession of love served up over electronic burbles and bouncy bass.

A cover version by Jont appears on the 2007 compilation album, The Saturday Sessions: The Dermot O'Leary Show.