It was a more "edgy" song than their previous singles, made so by the inclusion of implied themes of adultery and erotic temptation in the lyrics,[1] and was arranged to a brisk bossa nova-esque beat which was in stark contrast to the style of the group's first single "Life in a Northern Town".

Tarney was brought in at the suggestion of Rough Trade Records founder Geoff Travis to work on "The Love Parade".

Lead vocalist Nick Laird-Clowes noted that Tarney brought some "real special techniques" to the table: he tracked the vocals "12 or 15 times" during certain portions of the song.

[2] There were high hopes for the single, especially from Warner, and there was some degree of promotion of the song (such as a live performance on American Bandstand).

When asked in a 2024 interview if there were any songs by The Dream Academy that deserved to receive resurgence in popularity similar to Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill", Laird-Clowes picked "The Love Parade" as one of his selections.