No, it's not about Michael Stipe. That story only originated because someone misread an interview. Morrissey was asked about this song, then the next question the interviewer asked was about his friendship with Stipe. Neither the interviewer nor Morrissey made any connections between the song and Stipe. You can read the interview at the www.motorcycleaupairboy.com site (I can't remember which interview it is exactly). Johnny Rogan also explained in his book 'The Complete Guide to the Music of The Smiths and Morrissey / Marr' that that was how the misunderstanding originated.
in an interview he gave to an Italian magazine this year, Morrissey was asked if it was about Stipe, and he said no.
No, it's not about Michael Stipe. That story only originated because someone misread an interview. Morrissey was asked about this song, then the next question the interviewer asked was about his friendship with Stipe. Neither the interviewer nor Morrissey made any connections between the song and Stipe. You can read the interview at the www.motorcycleaupairboy.com site (I can't remember which interview it is exactly). Johnny Rogan also explained in his book 'The Complete Guide to the Music of The Smiths and Morrissey / Marr' that that was how the misunderstanding originated.
in an interview he gave to an Italian magazine this year, Morrissey was asked if it was about Stipe, and he said no.