Written by the band, it was their first single to enter the UK top 40, peaking at number 14.
The original lyrics for the first and third line were: "There's a funeral in the town" and "Seems they found him under a train" respectively.
However, in the radio version, they are as follows: "Black car drives through the town" and "Left a note for a local girl."
[2] Since the Carpets' reunion in 2022, the song has been sung live using the radio lyrics.
The music video was directed by Anton Corbijn and was filmed on the Snake Pass between Sheffield and Manchester during a cold January.