Songfacts®:

• Roland Orzabal wrote this about leaving behind problems and other issues you wish would disappear. He used the third world because it's a place full of those problems and such sorrow. The lyrics give a description of the life in a third world. >>

  Suggestion credit:
  T. Michels - Venlo, Netherlands
• Orzabal elaborated on the song's meaning: "What I've done in this case is use the Third World as a symbol for everybody's dumping ground. It's a place that's barren, without life and full of abuse and exploitation. The line, 'Standing on the corner of the Third World' brings to me this feeling of containment, yet, just in the background you're slightly reminded that there's this massive grey and barren area that needs attention."
• Orzabal explained the lyric "Rolling and controlling all the basements and the backroads of our lives," explaining it's a reference to "how you get rid of all the s--t and the dirt of life - it's swept under the carpet, or, at the very least, out of sight."
• This features prolific session musician Pino Palladino on bass. Palladino also played with The Who after John Entwistle's death in 2002 and is one-third of the John Mayer Trio.
• Soul singer Oleta Adams played piano on the track. Adams' vocals can be heard throughout the album, most notably on the duet "Woman In Chains."