William, It Was Really Nothing

Buy the Album at Rhino.com

Written by: Johnny Marr, Morrissey
Produced by: John Porter
Released: Aug. '84 on Sire
Charts: Did not chart
Top spot: No. 8

When asked in 1984 who was the last person to see him naked, Morrissey replied, "Almost certainly the doctor who brought me into this cruel world." But like many of the Smiths' early singles, "William" is a tale of traumatic teen sex, in this case a tragic love triangle in a humdrum town. Surprisingly, OutKast's Andre 3000 is a huge Smiths fan; he recently named "William" as his absolute favorite.

Appears on: Louder Than Bombs (Sire)

Next: Smoke on the Water

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