The Smiths – Hand in Glove

General Comment"No it's NOT like any other love
this one's different
because it's us!"
Not sure if this has got anything to do with homosexuality... it's more about two people who believe that the love between them is better than the love between any other couple. As for not caring whether people stare and being hidden by rags surely, this is about dressing different to everyone else and not fitting in. In my mind this is very much about two adolescents who want to be different, want to believe that no-one else has ever felt liked them, dressed liked them or loved like them... in other words teenage rebellion. Obviously it can be, and often is, interpreted as a song about homosexuality.

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  @tgd

General CommentAnother thing I've noticed is perhaps this is about the Marr/Morrissey relationship, I mean the relationship referred to isn't necessarily a sexual one, just a fiercely protective and appreciative one, two characteristics that their relationship had I think

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  @tallulat

General CommentAt least some of this song is inspired (like many of Morrissey's lyrics) by Shelagh Delaney's seminal Kitchen Sink drama A Taste of Honey. The part of the narrative explored in this song is concerned with the doomed romance between the spirited but sexually inexperienced teenaged protagonist Jo and the older black sailor, Jimmy.
Certain lines from the song are entirely lifted from the play including the repeated line “I’ll probably never see you again”. Other lines are more subtly paraphrased; when Morrissey sings “And if people stare then people stare/ oh I really don’t know and I really don’t care” he is simply reworking the following piece of dialogue from the play, which follows Jimmy’s attempt to kiss Jo in public:

Jimmy: Afraid someone'll see us?
Jo: I don't care.
Jimmy: Say that again.
Jo: I don't care.

Given that the play was first staged in 1958 it’s unsurprising that a public display of affection between racially mixed couple was considered a social taboo.

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  @Joshimitsu

General CommentI personally gree with the above interprettion, but 'd like to add that the reason wh the whole romance doesn'twork out is becaus one of the guys involved cares too much about what other folks will think of them.

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  @Chloe le Fay

General Commentthis is an awesome song. morrissey rocks my socks.

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  @weezerific:cutlery

General CommentHungryLikeTheWolf: "Morrissey is a big old gay man and that's why he's so unhappy. A lot of his songs are about his sexual orientaion and his confusion and his struggle to be open with it. He doesn't parade it around but if if you were the ask him if he was gay he wouldn't say no. Listen to 'I have forgiven Jesus' and 'What difference does it make' two of the smiths "gay" songs. "

ROTFL HungryiketheWolf, you are so hilarious LOL LOL LOL

I Have Forgiven Jesus is a 'gay' song? LOL Just how did you get to that conclusion? What Difference Does It Make is 'obviusly gay? HUH?

"He doesn't parade it around but if if you were the ask him if he was gay he wouldn't say no. "
Well, actually he would - and he did.

"I'm gay? Well, that's news to me." (Morrissey in Rolling Stone, 1990)

Your reasoning is really dumb. He's unhappy because he's gay?! Why would that make him unhappy?! He's never had any prejudices against homosexuality, and he had no problems mentioning he's felt attraction for men AS WELL as women, and that he's had sexual encounters with both women and men. He's never been afraid to be really controversial and speak his mind, but you think he's less brave than Elton-f***ing John?! People like you who think they understand Morrissey when they have no bloody idea would be trully annoying with their condescening attitude, if they weren't that absurd. If Morrissey was gay and that was all to it, his life would be much simpler. He would have found a guy, and not just that, he would then fit into your silly little categories, and that would make him into more of a regular and 'normal' person by your standards. hell, it would even give him less problems with the media - he would be a 'gay artist', which is such a popular thing to be in the days of political correctness! But I think he knows much better than any of you what he is, or at least what he isn't, and he knows that he does not fit into your categories, even though there are so many people like you who feel they just need to pigeonhole such a complex and unique person! He's far more complicated than that and he has far deeper problems, which you would be aware of if you REALLY paid attention to his songs!

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  @nightandday
  +2

  @nightandday Do you still feel this way now that you're in your 20s?

  Flag e8ghtmileshighon June 29, 2015  

General CommentLord Alfred Douglas, a friend/lover? of Oscar Wilde, said of Wilde after his death "he was hand in glove with all the little boys on the Boulevard. He never attempted to conceal it."

At Wildes trial he spoke of 'the love that dares not speak its name' when asking to advance upon this he said; "The love that dares not speak its name" in this century is such a great affection of an elder for a younger man as there was between David and Jonathan, such as Plato made the very basis of his philosophy, and such as you find in the sonnets of Michelangelo and Shakespeare. It is that deep spiritual affection that is as pure as it is perfect. There is nothing unnatural about it. It is intellectual, and it repeatedly exists between an older and a younger man, when the older man has intellect, and the younger man has all the joy, hope and glamour of life before him.'

Morrissey is a huge fan of Wildes work, and it is very possible that he was writing this song through the eyes of Wilde.

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  @srbsam

General Comment

it's likely that this song is about homosexuality. alot of morrisseys lyrics seem to be cryptically based around that issue. whether he wrote about his actual experiences or he wrote to peak peoples curiosity doesnt matter to me. one of the great things about this song is that (if you dont read too much into it) the lyrics are cryptic enough so that anyone can apply it to their own lives and love situations.
and thats what a lot of people look for in song lyrics- something they can relate to.
=]

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  @dmdaisy

General Commentugh. this is definitely my favourite smiths song. just love how dramatic it is. "no it's not like any other love, this one's different because it's us"...i just think too many people in relationships get in this mindframe, that they think they'll last forever because THEY're different, oh yes. love that line. also "everything depends upon how near you stand to me". dramatic, again. i love stuff like this. just sounds like he's saying when the person he loves isn't standing near him/paying attention to him, that's what his mood depends on. that's my interpretation anyway. brilliant song.

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  @nofxlol

General CommentOk, let's just set one thing straight.

Morrissey is consciously trying to keep his sexuality ambiguous. A quick scan of the wikipedia entry about him solves this.
He has maintained throughout his career in interviews that he is asexual or celibate. It really annoys me when people ignorant enough to say that his lyrics are 'obviously gay' post comments on sites like this. Think of him as a fourth gender.

Thanks

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  @ChatNoir33
  0

  I agree chatnoir!

  Flag happy7on March 21, 2012  

  -1

  LOL. What happened to the third gender. There are two, even for those who sux at math. Morrisy is male. He fathered a child, I believe. He's either straight or gay. That would be his orientation, not his gender. And I agree with him; it's nobody's business. That's why we don't need parades to celebrate who we sleep with. I'm waiting for the straight pride parade in my town so I can laugh at it, too. As for his independent streak, he's honest and single. He should tell people to shove it. If he were pretending to be in love with someone, than shame on him for being a creepy arrogant ass. Good song, BTW.

  Flagged freetobemeon March 21, 2012  

  -2

  Clarification: I don't laugh at parade participants. I laugh at the concept of a gay pride parade because what makes gays and straights different is simply who they have sex with. We should be celebrating how we're all alike as human beings (our intelligence; talent; creativity; etc) and leaving the sex in the bedroom. I have wonderful gay friends (two of them consider themselves "married" and one couple is practicing Catholic), and I simply feel as Morrisey does: it ain't nobody's business... with my addition of "but mine and God's." There STILL is just two genders. Sometimes there are distortions in the womb, but that doesn't change the number.

  Flagged freetobemeon March 21, 2012  

  0

  Agreed,i could not of said it better. Mozza is gay and always has been and most of there tracks are that way inclined.

  Flag leeelliotton August 15, 2013