The song became a top ten hit in Belgium, Ireland and Sweden, and was the highest-charting single released from Joyride in France.

It also reached the top twenty in a number of other countries, including Australia, Austria, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland.

"[1] AllMusic editor Bryan Buss wrote in his review of Joyride, that "The Big L." follows in the successful vein Gessle and Fredriksson mined with "The Look".

[2] Swedish Expressen called it a "peppery pop song adorned with details from old rock 'n' roll".

[5] A reviewer from Music & Media wrote that the song is "again proof of Per Gessle's knack for writing pleasant pop underpinned by rocking beats.