[2] "Venus as a Boy" is an ambient and chill-out song that features a musical ensemble made up of Indian instruments like tablas.

The clip shows Björk in a kitchen cooking eggs, and was inspired by the singer's favorite book Story of the Eye.

Björk performed the song on different TV appearances, including Top of the Pops, and sang it during the course of her Debut tour.

Although, it is supposed that this specific person is Dominic Thrupp (also known as Dom T.) with whom Björk had a relationship at the time of writing.

[7][8] Its sound reflected Björk's newly found interest in Bollywood, having befriended people of Indian origin in London, most notably tabla player Talvin Singh, who would later collaborate on the track.

[9] She described the composition of the song in an interview with David Hemingway: "I think I wrote it in my living room in Iceland and sang it into my dictaphone.

Heather Phares of AllMusic complimented the song and its lyrics, stating that "the album's romantic moments may be its most striking; "Venus as a Boy" fairly swoons with twinkly vibes and lush strings, and Björk's vocals and lyrics—"His wicked sense of humor/Suggests exciting sex"—are sweet and just the slightest bit naughty".

[16] Johnny Cigarettes from NME also named "Venus as a Boy" Single of the Week, praising the "bizarrely gorgeous, head-spinningly eclectic and exotic instrumentation and arrangement", Bjork's "incredible voice, more startling and spine-stroking than it's been since "Birthday" sent everyone into wibbling raptures", and her "beautifully peculiar way with a lyric".

[17] On the album review, another NME editor, Johnny Dee, felt the "wonderful" song "creates an Arabic mantra.

"[18] Sam Wood from Philadelphia Inquirer named it one of the "high points" of the album, remarking that the song "marries a subtle reggae bassline with a deliciously sinuous string section reminiscent of classic Egyptian film scores".

He added, "Just one of the brilliant swirling dance tracks on her album Debut, this is surely the sort of music that God plays on his/her stereo.

[22] On a similar note, Kate Narburgh of The Chronicle, citing the "Mellow vibes accent "Venus as a Boy"", hoped that "Björk won't waste her vocal talent on such talentless music".

[24] The accompanying music video for "Venus as a Boy" was directed by English director Sophie Muller and features Björk in a kitchen, fondling and cooking eggs.

The usage of eggs was inspired by the singer's favorite book, Story of the Eye by Georges Bataille, a novella which deals with the bizarre sexual perversions of a pair of teenagers.

It should be about being sort of liquidy and wet and soft and open...She gave Muller a copy of Story of the Eye a couple of days before they filmed but did not insist that she read it.

[30] Björk appeared on the fifth season of the British television show Later... with Jools Holland, singing "Hyperballad", "Possibly Maybe" and a version of the song accompanied by Guy Sigsworth on the Harpsichord.

The song was covered by Nils Landgren - 5000 Miles (1999); Sneaker Pimps (2004); Corinne Bailey Rae (2007) and as an instrumental by Australian jazz pianist Barney McAll, on his album Mother of Dreams and Secrets (2005), as well as American jazz pianist Geoff Keezer on his albums Zero One (2000) and Wildcrafted: Live at the Dakota (2005).

On Andy McKee's album Gates of Gnomeria (2007), there is an instrumental version of the song, titled "Venus as a Girl".

Other artists who have covered Venus as a Boy include Ásgerður Júníusdóttir, Serena Fortebraccio, Wildlife, E-Clypse, The Da Capo Players, Björkestra, Don Swanson, The Kate Peters Septet, The Violet Jive, Howl, Iris Ornig, Joo Kraus, Lars Duppler, Las Damas Y La Orquesta Invisible, Coparck, Workshy, Squid Inc., Realistic Orchestra, Sole Giménez, Sharon Sable, 2nd Backyard Junk, Camila Meza, and Kali Uchis.