The song had been initially considered as the lead single, however, it was deemed to sound too harsh and the record company did not want to take the risk.

The track was written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, Tim Powell, Shawn Lee, Lisa Cowling, Paul Woods and Yusra Maru'e.

The accompanying music video was directed by Harvey & Carolyn, and portrays the band as rocker chicks as they ride motorcycles along a desert road.

Although "Wake Me Up" was the preferred choice, and also Sarah Harding's favorite from the album,[5] it was deemed to sound too harsh and the record company did not want to take the risk.

[5] Kimberley Walsh's "dressed up and put on my make up" line was considered a "pivotal" point in the recording process.

The first disc included a remix of Girls Aloud's previous single, a cover version of The Pretenders' "I'll Stand by You".

[6] The second CD format included the Tony Lamezma's Love Affair remix of "Wake Me Up", as well as an exclusive b-side:[7] the previously unreleased ballad, entitled "History", which was co-written by the band.

[8] The 7" picture disc includes the Gravitas Club Mix of "Wake Me Up" and another new b-side:[9] another ballad, "Loving Is Easy", which was also co-written by Girls Aloud.

"[13] Alexis Petridis of The Guardian said that the song sounds like what would happen if "you married an alarmingly fast techno thud to an implausibly dumb three-chord garage rock riff.

"[1] A BBC Music critic, however, deemed the track, along with "Deadlines & Diets" and "I Say a Prayer for You", a "fairly predictable mix of well-produced tunes covering the various pop styles and themes.

"[14] Reviewing Girls Aloud's first greatest hits album, Paul Scott of Stylus Magazine said that "Wake Me Up", "Long Hot Summer" (2005) and "Something Kinda Ooooh" (2006), "all feel, to varying degrees, like attempts to recapture [the] seductive bludgeoning" of "The Show".

Following the topic of the song, the members are seen applying fake tattoos, painting their nails, and blow-drying their hair, all still while riding on their motorcycles.

[33] "Wake Me Up" failed to debut at the top ten in Europe, peaking at number 13 on the European Hot 100 Singles.