[1][2] The song presents the perspective of "a fellow who's drowning his sorrows in a sleazy strip joint, while he reflects sadly on the loss of his youthful innocence", according to Derek Johnson of the New Musical Express.

[1][4] They are sandwiched between two jazz sections reminiscent of David Rose's 1958 composition "The Stripper", creating a musical contrast and illustrating the gulf between the narrator's thoughts and his environment.

[7] In the week following the single's release, New Musical Express readers voted the Herd the sixth "Best New Group" of 1967, behind the Bee Gees, Traffic, the Tremeloes, Procol Harum and the Jimi Hendrix Experience.

[3] Penny Valentine of Disc and Music Echo considered the song similar to "From the Underworld", due to the "doomy backing and Frampton's clawing away in front".

"[9] Chris Welch of Melody Maker considered it "a piece of advanced pop writing" and noted how the "reverie" section is "sandwiched callously between brash stripper music, creating a violent contrast".