Pet Shop Boys worked on the track with Andrew Dawson, but they ran out of time and ultimately decided it did not fit the reflective mood of Elysium.

[2] Pet Shop Boys' next album, Electric, was a dance record, and "Vocal" fit the theme musically and lyrically.

Neil Tennant said the song is about "the sense of community on the dancefloor",[2] recalling in particular being at a nightclub in Brazil with Chris Lowe and other members of the Discovery Tour in 1994.

[3] Producer Stuart Price changed the song significantly from the demo, removing the brass line and making it "probably the most euphoric thing we've ever put out", according to Lowe.

[14] The decision was made to replace "Go West" with "Vocal" at the dress rehearsal before the first show in Santiago, Chile, and the new song was enthusiastically received.