The Smiths – I Won't Share You

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I won't share you, no
I won't share you
With the drive
And ambition
The zeal I feel
This is my time

The note I wrote
As she read, she said
"Has the Perrier gone
Straight to my head
Or is life sick and cruel, instead?"

"Yes!"
No - no - no - no - no - no
No - no - no - no - no - no
Oh...

I won't share you, no
I won't share you
With the drive
And the dreams inside
This is my time

Life tends to come and go
That's OK
As long as you know
Life tends to come and go
As long as you know
Know, know, know, know, know
Know, know, know, know
Oh...

I won't share you, no
I won't share you
With the drive
And the dreams inside
This is my time

I want the freedom and I want the guile
I want the freedom and the guile
Oh, life tends to come and go
As long as you know
Know, know, know, know
Know, know, know, know
Oh...

I won't share you, no
I won't share you
I'll see you somewhere
I'll see you sometime
Darling...

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Lyrics submitted by weezerific:cutlery

Track duration: 02:54

"I Won't Share You" as written by Steven Patrick/marr Morrissey

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group

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I Won't Share You song meanings
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29 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:Sorry to all you hopeless dreamers, but Morrissey and Marr were never in love. It was always Johnny and Angie and Morrissey. I think this song is actually about NOT being in a relationship, the "I Won't Share You" is actually a statement to oneself, Morrissey isn't willing to risk his "freedom and guile" for the affections of someone else, and maybe when he tells people this it seems really cruel "the note I wrote as she read" --- but it's not a cruel statement, Morrissey is just stating he isn't ready or willing to share parts of himself with somebody else, and he's accepting that it's a changeable thing "life tends to come and go"....
    Flag youngoneon April 05, 2013   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Everyone seems to be saying that I Won't Share You is about him not sharing a person (or a relationship) with something/someone. Nightandday's interpretation is similar to mine. I think of it the other way around. He won't share "the drive and the dreams inside" with someone. Morrissey was always ridiculously vague about his love life and sexuality.

    Think of the lines, "I want the freedom and I want the guile". What guile can he have in his relationship with Marr? And why would you want freedom and guile in a relationship where you're jealous and possessive of the other person? It doesn't make sense. But Morrissey did have freedom and guile, with his image of ambiguous (a)sexuality. It made him stand out.

    I see this song as Morrissey refusing to be open about a relationship he's in. He explains his reasoning in a note, she reads it and basically says, "Are you serious? Really?! This is ridiculous!" He's deceitful, lying to his fans, the press etc, and keeping his relationship hidden to achieve his dreams and ambitions.

    I think I Keep Mine Hidden is about the same situation.
    Flag eww2006on March 01, 2010   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment:To love and refuse to share someone who isnt yours. you only wont share them because you cant share someone that doesnt belong to you.
    thats what it means to me, and what ive learnt, to learn to deal with that and be happy with your friendship
    Flag Loves_young_dreamon November 28, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:One of my favorite songs of theirs. Gives me goosebumps every time.
    Flag hearingvoicesxxon August 10, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:First off, this wasn't the last song they recorded, that was I Keep Mine Hidden. Also, I only just noticed for the first time there's harmonica at the end.
    Flag Wallamanageon May 12, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Does anyone know if Morrissey has ever mentioned if he writes in character? I know he's an avid reader and most of the time I hear his lyrics it seems like he's maybe writing in the point of view of one of the characters in the books he reads.

    For this song it seems personal... except for the second verse. I think that's the key for this song. Figuring out who "she" is and what "note" he is referring to.
    Flag dannyron February 08, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Marr left the Smiths in 1987. He has done loads of stuff before joining modest mouse.
    Flag dirtyveston July 10, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:no way this is about marr.. marr left for modest mouse last year and this was written wayyyyy before that was even said and done

    i love modest mouse, but i had the new mouse with fuckin marr in it.. ahh i hate marr
    Flag pet moustacheon July 02, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I always thought this song was about someone wanting to further themself at the expense of a current relationship the person inquestion is in.

    From a band point of view you could imagine it being about Marr leaving the Smiths. Marr wrote the note and the she reading it is Morrissey. He did refer to himself as being the queen in the queen is dead album title.
    Flag dirtyveston June 06, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:One of my favourite Smiths songs, I love the dreaminess, the richness, Morrissey's vocals, the depth of sound it all and emotion. I get lost in this one.
    Flag cs15hammeron June 06, 2007   Link

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