Co-written by Di Bart, the song topped both the UK Singles Chart following its 1994 re-release and became a top-20 hit in Belgium, France, Ireland, and Spain the same year.

[14][15] Alexis Petridis from The Guardian said that "The Real Thing" "is an authentically fantastic pop record: in a world of euphoria, it sounded strangely wistful and muted, its melancholy chafing against its plasticky bedroom production.

[16] Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "It's the combination of the fast basslinelike Grandmaster Flash's 'White Lines' with Di Bart's slow soulful vocals that does it."

"[17] Andy Beevers from Music Week's RM Dance Update said about the 1994 remix, "They retain the excellent catchy vocals and back them up wlth a more complete club track.

"[18] Another RM editor, James Hamilton, described it as "last autumn's mournfully moaned light floater now faster like its old B-side in blippily swirled plonking fluttery 0-128.8bpm Joy Brothers Remake".