[6] The song fared better in the United Kingdom, reaching number 7 on the UK Singles Chart in July 1984, spending 17 consecutive weeks in the top 40.

Originally, it was intended to be an ironic celebration of a cocaine-fueled party lifestyle, but it was abridged with the "don't do it" message as a concession to commercial considerations.

[7] The lines "A businessman is caught with 24 kilos / He's out on bail and out of jail and that's the way it goes" refers to car manufacturer John DeLorean, who in 1982 became entrapped in a scheme to save his company from bankruptcy using drug money.

[3] An unofficial music video was directed by Spike Lee, then a New York University film student, and starred actor Laurence Fishburne.

Steve Baltin from Cash Box wrote, "England's favorite former pretty boys have taken to the streets for the first single from their long-in-the-works album of covers entitled Thank You.

While the combination may sound frightening, the song has already picked up major adds at Modern Rock, and following the success of their last album, should also get Top 40 airplay.

"[24] Mark Morris from Select said, "Very incongruous, but no more so that these legendary '80s jet-setters massacring Grandmaster Flash's unequivocal anti-coke anthem, 'White Lines'.

"[25] Tony Cross from Smash Hits gave it one out of five, writing, "So if you like berks from the '80s ruining one of glam-disco rap-funk's finest moments, then go ahead and buy it.