When the band performed the song on Top of the Pops, Morrissey ripped open his shirt to reveal the words "MARRY ME" written on his chest ("Would you like to marry me?" is one line of the song).[2]
Morrissey has said of the song: "It occurred to me that within popular music if ever there were any records that discussed marriage they were always from the female's standpoint, female singers singing to women. There were never any songs saying 'do not marry, stay single, self-preservation,' etc. I thought it was about time there was a male voice speaking directly to another male saying that marriage was a waste of time ... that, in fact, it was absolutely nothing."[3]
The song is popularly believed to have been about Morrissey's short-lived friendship with Billy Mackenzie, lead singer of the Associates. The Associates' compilation album Double Hipness, released in August 2000, included the song "Stephen, You're Really Something", recorded by Billy MacKenzie and Alan Rankine during the band's reunion in 1993 as a response to "William, It Was Really Nothing".
william, really, nothing, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, j. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources William It Was Really Nothing news newspapers books scholar JSTOR June 2011 Learn how and when to remove this message William It Was Really Nothing is a song by the English rock band the Smiths It was released as a single in August 1984 featuring the B sides Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want and How Soon Is Now and reached No 17 in the UK Singles Chart The song is featured on the compilation albums Hatful of Hollow and Louder Than Bombs as well as other best of and singles collections In 2004 the song was ranked No 425 on Rolling Stone magazine s list of the 500 greatest songs of all time William It Was Really Nothing Artwork for original 1984 single release also used for 2008 re releaseSingle by The Smithsfrom the album Hatful of HollowB side How Soon Is Now Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want Released20 August 1984RecordedJuly 1984StudioJam Studios LondonGenreAlternative rockLength2 09LabelRough TradeSongwriter s Johnny Marr MorrisseyProducer s John PorterThe Smiths singles chronology Heaven Knows I m Miserable Now 1984 William It Was Really Nothing 1984 How Soon Is Now 1985 Professional ratingsReview scoresSourceRatingAllmusic 1 When the band performed the song on Top of the Pops Morrissey ripped open his shirt to reveal the words MARRY ME written on his chest Would you like to marry me is one line of the song 2 Contents 1 Lyrics and background 2 Track listing 3 Artwork and matrix message 4 Charts 5 References 6 External linksLyrics and background editMorrissey has said of the song It occurred to me that within popular music if ever there were any records that discussed marriage they were always from the female s standpoint female singers singing to women There were never any songs saying do not marry stay single self preservation etc I thought it was about time there was a male voice speaking directly to another male saying that marriage was a waste of time that in fact it was absolutely nothing 3 The song is popularly believed to have been about Morrissey s short lived friendship with Billy Mackenzie lead singer of the Associates The Associates compilation album Double Hipness released in August 2000 included the song Stephen You re Really Something recorded by Billy MacKenzie and Alan Rankine during the band s reunion in 1993 as a response to William It Was Really Nothing Track listing edit7 RT166No TitleLength1 William It Was Really Nothing 2 102 Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want 1 50 in original green sleeve 7 RT166No TitleLength1 William It Was Really Nothing 2 102 How Soon Is Now 6 43 in lilac reprint sleeve 12 RTT166 CD RTT166CDNo TitleLength1 William It Was Really Nothing 2 102 How Soon Is Now 6 433 Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want 1 50Artwork and matrix message editBritish 7 and 12 with green tinted cover versions feature the matrix message THE IMPOTENCE OF ERNEST ROMANTIC AND SQUARE IS HIP AND AWAREBritish 7 with lilac tinted cover THE IMPOTENCE OF ERNEST WE HATES BAD GRAMMERBritish 12 with lilac tinted cover THE IMPOTENCE OF ERNEST ROMANTIC AND IS HIP N AWAREAs well as being a reference to The Importance of Being Earnest The impotence of Ernest is an allusion to the impotence that Ernest Hemingway suffered in his final years The romantic line was said by John Lennon to Hunter Davies Charts editChart Peakposition Ireland IRMA 8 UK Singles The Official Charts Company 17References edit William It Was Really Nothing rating Allmusic Retrieved 29 October 2012 Simpson Mark 31 May 2003 Return of the lone stranger The Guardian London The Smiths William It Was Really Nothing smithsonguitar com External links edit Top of the Pops Performance on YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William It Was Really Nothing amp oldid 1215847157, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
