The song was written by Al Hodge and Michael Dan Ehmig, and produced by Frank Farian.

In a 1986 interview with Record Mirror, Meat Loaf said of the song's message, "It's about the music business.

"[2] Speaking of the song's lack of commercial success in the US, Parr told the Hartlepool Mail in 1988, "Sometimes you just can't seem to win.

"[3] On its release, Lucy O'Brien of New Musical Express considered "Rock 'n' Roll Mercenaries" to be "a run-of-the-mill guitar-befuddled manifestation of the American dream".

"[5] In a review of its single release in the US, Billboard described the song as a "hard rock indictment".