Written by Peter Gabriel, the song was produced by Daniel Lanois and Peter and engineered by Kevin Killen and Lanois and features the guest vocals of Kate Bush. Bush had previously provided vocals for the tracks Games Without Frontiers and No Self Control on Peter's third solo album.

Peter McKinnon is an internationally acclaimed photographer, filmmaker, YouTube creator and entrepreneur based in Toronto, Canada. Peter uses his platforms to inspire and help people pursue their passions behind the lens.

Gabriel composed lyrics about a man whose unemployment causes stress in his domestic relationship. He had seen a TV program about the consequences of unemployment on family life, and said that it "played into my own problems at that time.