Smiths, The ‎– William, It Was Really Nothing

Label:
Rough Trade – RTT 166CD
Format:
CD, Single
Country:
Released:
Genre:
Style:

Tracklist

1 William, It Was Really Nothing 2:10
2 How Soon Is Now? 6:43
3 Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want 1:50

Credits

Notes

Cover Star from "The Leather Boys" (A Raymond Stross Production)

℗ 1988 Rough Trade Records Ltd.
© 1984 Warner Bros. Music Ltd.

Made in England

Barcode and Other Identifiers

  • Barcode: 5 014644 601665
  • Other (Label Code): LC 5661

Other Versions (Showing 5 of 13) View All

Title, Format Label Cat# Country Year
William, It Was Really Nothing (12") Rough Trade RTT 166 UK 1984
William, It Was Really Nothing (7") Intercord INT 110.169 Germany 1984
William, It Was Really Nothing (7", RP) Rough Trade RT 166 UK 1987
William, It Was Really Nothing (7") Rough Trade RT 166 UK 1984
William, It Was Really Nothing (12", RP) Rough Trade RTT 166 UK 1987
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Reviews & Discussion

Review by onelittle Feb 07, 2005 (edited over 7 years ago)
This song is thought to be about The Associates singer Billy MacKenzie. In the early 80s the pair had forged a fleeting friendship, which ended abruptly when MacKenzie allegedly thieved a Jane Stein novel and a favourite shirt from Morrissey's Manchester flat. Industry rumour had it that they were, briefly, lovers, and that "William It Was Really Nothing" was Morrissey's kiss-off to MacKenzie.

In the 90s MacKenzie wrote an affectionate song, "Steven, You're Still Really Something". It is considered to be his riposte. The lyric included a slightly sinister outing threat in; 'If I'm going down, I'll do you down with me', sweetened only by the coupling; 'And I loved the way you sent your poetry'.

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