William, It Was Really Nothing

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"William, It Was Really Nothing"

Single by The Smiths
Released	24 August 1984 Reissued: 1987, 1988
Format	7" single, 12" single, CD (1988)
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	2:09
Label	Rough Trade
Writer(s)	Johnny Marr Morrissey
Producer(s)	John Porter
Chart positions
UK: #17 (1984)
The Smiths singles chronology
"Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" (1983)	"William, It Was Really Nothing" (1983)	"How Soon Is Now?" (1984)

"William, It Was Really Nothing" is a song by British band The Smiths. It was released as a single on 24 August 1984, featuring the B-sides "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" and "How Soon Is Now?", and reached #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.

The song is popularly believed to have been written by Morrissey about his friend Billy Mackenzie, lead singer of The Associates, with whom he was rumoured to be romantically linked. The Associates song, "Steven, It Was Really Something" is viewed as a response, though the song was actually written by Billy's bandmate Alan Rankie. However, Morrissey has said of the song:

"What 'William It Was Really Nothing' is about is... 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: whenever there were 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'.

The original artwork depicted comes from an early 80s advertisement for A.D.S. speakers (the object on the bed is a speaker), however due to legal reasons later pressings were produced with new artwork, a lilac tinted Billie Whitelaw from the film Charlie Bubbles directed by Albert Finney. The sleeve for the 1988 CD single reissue reissue shows Colin Campbell from the 1964 film The Leather Boys. This artwork had previously been used in Germany for the single "Ask".

1 Trivia
2 Tracklisting

[edit] Trivia

In an interview for Rolling Stone Magazine, Outkast's Andre Benjamin said "William, It Was Really Nothing" is his favorite song.

[edit] Tracklisting

[edit] 7": Rough Trade / RT166 (UK)

"William, It Was Really Nothing"
"Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want"

in original green sleeve

[edit] 7": Rough Trade / RT166 (UK)

"William, It Was Really Nothing"
"How Soon Is Now?"

in lilac reprint sleeve

[edit] 12": Rough Trade / RTT166 (UK)

"William, It Was Really Nothing"
"How Soon Is Now?"
"Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want"

also released on CD Rough Trade RTT166CD (1988)

Discography
The Smiths
Morrissey - Johnny Marr - Andy Rourke - Mike Joyce
Craig Gannon - Dale Hibbert
Albums: The Smiths \| Meat Is Murder \| The Queen Is Dead \| Strangeways, Here We Come \| Rank (live)
Singles: Hand in Glove \| This Charming Man \| What Difference Does It Make? \| Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now \| William, It Was Really Nothing \| How Soon Is Now? \| Shakespeare's Sister \| That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore \| The Boy with the Thorn in His Side \| Bigmouth Strikes Again \| Panic \| Ask \| Shoplifters of the World Unite \| Sheila Take a Bow \| Girlfriend in a Coma \| I Started Something I Couldn't Finish \| Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me \| There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
Band-assembled compilations: Hatful of Hollow \| The World Won't Listen \| Louder Than Bombs
Other compilations: Stop Me \|Best...I \| ...Best II \| Singles \| The Very Best of The Smiths
Related
Rough Trade Records