Frontman Fran Healy began writing the song by composing a rap, which he would later remove, and penning a riff that would support it.

The single releases include live versions of "Driftwood" and Mott the Hoople's "All the Young Dudes", as well as a cover of the Bob Dylan song "You're a Big Girl Now".

Writing about the song's origin on the band's official website, Fran Healy recalled that the first part of "Side" that he conceived was rap segment, which he would later discard.

[3] Reviewing The Invisible Band on AllMusic, MacKenzie Wilson wrote that "Side" was "instantly endearing" and noted its "Beatlesque" lyrics.

[5] Pitchfork writer Kristin Sage Rockermann said that she liked the composition but criticised the "cliché" lyrics, such as "The grass is always greener on the other side" and "There is no wrong, there is no right".