 Jenner claims Barrett wrote the song describing himself as he sat at Jenner's home, "He had to go and record and, because a song was needed, he just wrote a description of what he was wearing at the time..." Jenner called the track "too dark".Many cite it as a document of Syd's apparent monumental breakdown as a recording artist and as a person.The song was written around the same time as "Jugband Blues" which is directed towards anyone within Barrett's orbit, while "Vegetable Man" is aimed at the music industry and himself.