Featuring David Bowie-inspired vocals, the song lyrically was inspired by the band's dissatisfaction and exhaustion with clubbing.

Rolling Stone's Greg Kot described the song as "about aging nightclubbers driving themselves to the brink of exhaustion to feel more 'alive'".

Michael Krugman of Ray Gun wrote, "The ironic 'Party Hard' sees Jarvis at his most Bowie-esque, as the band boogie down at the Scary Monsters disco.

The video featured girls wearing tight Pulp T-shirts dancing around Cocker as the band mimed the song.

[6] Director Mike Mills recalled that the video was inspired by a tape of an old German variety show that the band had shown him.