don't know whether jimn's take is correct (for all Morrissey's supposed brutal candor in interviews, he rarely talks about his personal life), but I can relate to it.
when I was in college and had been "out" for only a year or two, often my closest relationships were friendships with women. when we were together they'd spend a lot of time crying on my shoulder about how their men treated them.
gay men are not necessarily "outsiders to relationship drama," though some of us are slower to get started than others. many friends told me they felt it wasn't until their twenties that they started doing the kinds of things--dating, falling in love etc.--that a lot of people start during adolescence.
others were more experienced, but they did have to be discreet about it. I grew up in the '80s in a small town; nobody came out in high school (you'd get killed). in college, hearing the Smiths was one of a wide range of things which broadened my horizons. i still had a lot of (mostly) straight friends from my high school days, many of whom were vicariously fascinated by this stuff...maybe part of the reason the Smiths made such an impact, way beyond what could have been just a tiny cult audience but wasn't.
i'm very solitary but it's not typical. most people (straight or gay) are more extroverted than I am.
the songwriting is among the best of Morrissey's solo work. nice little slice-of-life drama.
don't know whether jimn's take is correct (for all Morrissey's supposed brutal candor in interviews, he rarely talks about his personal life), but I can relate to it.
when I was in college and had been "out" for only a year or two, often my closest relationships were friendships with women. when we were together they'd spend a lot of time crying on my shoulder about how their men treated them.
gay men are not necessarily "outsiders to relationship drama," though some of us are slower to get started than others. many friends told me they felt it wasn't until their twenties that they started doing the kinds of things--dating, falling in love etc.--that a lot of people start during adolescence.
others were more experienced, but they did have to be discreet about it. I grew up in the '80s in a small town; nobody came out in high school (you'd get killed). in college, hearing the Smiths was one of a wide range of things which broadened my horizons. i still had a lot of (mostly) straight friends from my high school days, many of whom were vicariously fascinated by this stuff...maybe part of the reason the Smiths made such an impact, way beyond what could have been just a tiny cult audience but wasn't.
i'm very solitary but it's not typical. most people (straight or gay) are more extroverted than I am.
the songwriting is among the best of Morrissey's solo work. nice little slice-of-life drama.