The song was written by Robert John "Mutt" Lange and Twain, and was originally released to North American country radio stations in late 1998.

Twain states that brains, looks, and the car "won't keep [her] warm in the middle of the night" and seeks a man with "the touch" that can do so.

[citation needed] After the single's 1998 country release, Billboard magazine wrote that "it doesn't sound remotely country" and criticized the simplistic lyrics, but praised the melody's "quirky appeal, Twain's delivery," and Robert John "Mutt" Lange's "skillful production.

"[5] Leeann Ward of Country Universe rated the track a B, saying "Along with the straight talk, we also hear traces of amusement throughout the song, which is one of the signature endearing qualities of Twain’s music.

"[6] The music video for "That Don't Impress Me Much" was shot in the Mojave Desert at El Mirage Dry Lake and Barstow, California.

It depicts Twain hitchhiking in the middle of the desert, in a hooded leopard skin outfit (though in some scenes the hooded outfit is open, showing a matching bra) and matching stiletto-heeled boots, and being approached by several men offering her a ride out of the desert.

These include a man in a 1957 Chevy Bel Air, on a motorcycle, in an army jeep, a tanker truck, and on a Friesian horse.

Twain wore a similar leopard skin outfit in a 2020 video for her Orville Peck duet "Legends Never Die".

"That Don't Impress Me Much" became Twain's third (second consecutive) Top 10 in the United Kingdom and the best selling non-number one single of the year in the country.