"NME" readers ranked the song as Pulp's fourth best in a fan vote, while "Stereogum"'s Ryan Leas ranked it as the band's seventh best, calling it "one of the most recognizable and quintessentially Pulp songs out there." "The Guardian" named it as one of Pulp's ten best songs, writing, "What makes many of Pulp's finest singles so enchanting is that they unfold like little short stories, full of odd narrative bumps and lovable characters, with Cocker coming on like some sort of northern J.D. Salinger. Take 'Babies', the standout track from 1994's brilliant breakthrough "His 'n' Hers", and one of Cocker’s best ever yarns." "Orange County Weekly" named the song as the number ten Pulp song for beginners.