This song was released in 1986 on The Smiths third album The Queen Is Dead . Composer Johnny Mar, lyrics/vocals Morrisey, and engineered by Stephen Street who, in my opinion, cleverly choose to fade the track out long enough to make you wonder then bring it back in again. Simon Guddard thoughtfully described this choice in his book Songs That Saved Your Life as, "A bit like opening a door, closing it, then opening it again and walking in".
For the longest time the tender way Morrisey delivers the lyrics made me want to believe that the lyrics meant so much more than they probably do. I endowed them with the tale of a love affair so deep that the gentleman did not notice another woman until the lovers had to be parted by distance. Hence the "send me your pillow the one that you dream on". Yes I was younger then...
Moving into a more synical stage of life the lyrics became of a kind mockery. As to say, "so I just noticed some girls are bigger than others but who cares because I dig boys", which I found amusing...still do.
I don't know wether Morrisey is addressing our breast size, bum size, or brain size...all delicate subjects. There have been times that I thought he was calling me fat, but that's so cliche'. Maybe Morrisey really did in some innocent childlike way realize that girls are just generally different sizes. Hells bells maybe he's just mocking Marr's beautifully melancholy composition...anywhere the truth lies it's one of my favorite tracks by The Smiths, and I have discorvered that it's more enjoyable when I'm not trying to decifer the meaning.
Thank you Morrisey//The Smiths for creating such mystery upon which I can muse, but most of all thank you for all the really really good music.
Rapt in Beats and Love,
Benna
*One bit of trivia for those of you who may not know... the lyrics, "Send me your pillow, The one that you dream on, send me your pillow, The one that you dream on, And I'll send you mine"...are actually taken from Johnny Tillotson an American singer from the 50's.
