Written by co-frontmen Alex Turner and Miles Kane, the song was produced by James Ford, and recorded at Black Box studios in France in the summer of 2007.

The video, shot in London, featured Turner on tambourine and Kane on guitar performing the song with shadowing in what resembles a television studio accompanied by a group of dancers in matching striped dresses, but differently coloured leggings.

[5] Standing Next to Me, was subsequently performed during the band hiatus in 2010, when they played an acoustic set at Club Nokia in Los Angeles, for Brian O'Connor's benefit concert.

[9][10][11] The song is often performed similarly to the music video, with Turner playing tambourine and Kane an acoustic guitar, singing at their respective microphones.

[12][13][14] For The Skinny, the song is "another testament to the songwriting prowess of Turner and [...] Miles Kane", describing it as, "finely crafted retro pop, but there are certain flourishes present that allude to new territories."