(who issued a number of releases by Beggars Banquet for the German market) and in the United States as a promotional single by Big Time Records.

In the liner notes for the band's compilation album, 1978-1990, McLennan writes that the song is about two friends of his, who worked in a funeral parlour and the constant exposure to the chemicals used in the preparation of the bodies turned them into addicts.

Steve Miller (The Moodists) and Simon Fisher Turner (aka The King of Luxembourg) contributing guitar and backing vocals to "When People Are Dead".

[4] The lyrics were written by an Irish writer Marian Stout who met Robert Foster at a gig in London in 1986.The songs were then mixed on 11 January 1987 and cut the next day.

[7] Kristi Coulter at Allmusic believes that "it's one of the best love songs in the Go-Betweens' not-inconsiderable catalog of them" and the "melody is one of Grant McLennan's most memorable and the lyrics among his most heartfelt."

"[9] Record Mirror wrote "It borders precariously on the twee side, only just saving itself courtesy of Grant MacLennan's nasal passages, his vocals adding a certain sarcastic sneer.