The song is a takeoff on James Brown's style of funk similar to the group's attempt at reggae with "D'yer Mak'er".

[2][1] For the recording, Page played a Fender Stratocaster guitar and it is possible to hear him depressing a whammy bar at the end of each phrase.

It has a relatively unique structure, comprising verses and a chorus but lacks a bridge or middle eight, common in most forms of Western popular music.

Personnel taken from album sleeve [3] In a contemporary review for Houses of the Holy, Gordon Fletcher of Rolling Stone gave "The Crunge" a negative review, calling it a "naked imitation", along with "D'yer Mak'er", as well as "easily" one of the worst things the band has ever attempted.

[4] Fletcher added, "[It] reproduces James Brown so faithfully that it's every bit as boring, repetitive and clichéd as 'Good Foot'.