William, It Was Really Nothing

The Smiths' 'William, It Was Really Nothing' is a song that encapsulates the ennui of suburban life and the pressures of conventional expectations. The opening lines set the scene in a 'humdrum town' where the persistent rain serves as a metaphor for the dreariness and oppressive nature of the environment. This town, with its lack of excitement and opportunity, has a negative impact on its inhabitants, dragging them down into a state of discontent.

The chorus, 'William, William it was really nothing,' repeated with a sense of resignation, suggests a conversation or internal monologue about an event that was anticipated to be significant but turned out to be inconsequential. The phrase 'It was your life' implies that the event in question was pivotal to William's personal narrative, yet it is dismissed as 'nothing,' highlighting a sense of disillusionment or anticlimax.

The verses that follow introduce a scenario involving marriage and societal expectations. The lyrics present a character who proposes marriage in a rather transactional manner, suggesting that love and passion are not the driving forces. The mention of a 'fat girl' who seems indifferent to everything except the prospect of marriage could be interpreted as a critique of societal norms that prioritize marriage as an ultimate goal, especially for women, regardless of personal happiness or compatibility. The protagonist's refusal to dream about anyone but themselves suggests a desire for self-fulfillment and autonomy, rejecting the traditional path laid out by society.