“I Thought You Were Dead” by Morrissey

On this track, Morrissey is strangely disappointed to discover that someone he “thought was dead” is actually still alive. In other words, while under the disposition this individual was deceased, he found a sense of peace. Or as Morrissey himself states, “It was so nice.”

This song reads as if it may be symbolic. To put it differently, Morrissey equates “leav(ing) the past in the past” with this person being dead. So finding out the individual is alive is making him relive something bygone which obviously he wanted to forget. And in that regard, it is possible that he is alluding to his own character. As such, the titular “you” may well be a memory, addiction, personality trait or something along those lines that Morrissey was under the impression he had successfully done away with.

Facts about “I Thought You Were Dead”

• “I Thought You Were Dead” was released on 13 April 2019 in recognition of Record Store Day. It is the B-side to Morrissey’s single “Lover-to-Be”.
• Morrissey and long-time collaborator Jesse Tobias wrote the track.
• Meanwhile, record producer Joe Chiccarelli is behind the production of the song.