UK 7" [Rough Trade RT166 (original green sleeve)]
UK 7" [Rhino UK RT166; 2008 reissue]
Germany 7" [Intercord INT110.169]
Italy 7" [Virgin VIN45123]
Sweden 7" [MNW RT166]

William, It Was Really Nothing
How Soon Is Now?

UK 7" [Rough Trade RT166 (lilac reprint)]

William, It Was Really Nothing
How Soon Is Now?
Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want

UK 12" [Rough Trade RTT166 (green or lilac sleeve)]
UK CD5 [Rough Trade RTT166CD]
Australia CD5 [Festival D1072]
France 12" [Virgin 80130]
Germany 12" [Intercord INT125.219 (black or multicoloured vinyl)]
Greece 12" [Virgin VG2023 Z]
Philippines 12" [Rough Trade EP-RTR-1]

William, It Was Really Nothing
How Soon Is Now? (unique alternate studio outtake)
Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want

Italy 12" [Virgin VINX71]

Additional information:
The 2008 reissue of the 7" single by Rhino UK was also included in the "Smiths Singles box" which compiled the band's first 10 UK singles (plus two bonuses). On each of the five weeks leading to the release of the latter box, two singles from it were put up for sale individually. Collectors could therefore buy two single reissues every week, or wait at the end of the programme to get all of them in the box, alongside the two bonus 7"s.

Artwork information:
The first (and most common) cover for the 7"s and 12"s is a green uncredited photograph of a man sitting on the edge of a bed. It comes from a 1980 to 1982 advertisement for A.D.S. speakers (view in left bar). The object on the bed is a speaker.

For legal reasons, later (1987) UK re-pressings of the 7"s and 12"s were produced with new artwork, a lilac tinted Billie Whitelaw from the film "Charlie Bubbles" directed by Albert Finney [1967].

The sleeve for the 1988 cd-single reissue shows Colin Campbell from the 1964 film "The Leather Boys". This artwork had previously been used in Germany for the "Ask" single.

When the single was reissued in 2008, Rhino UK used the original green artwork.

Etchings on vinyl:
UK 7" and 12" with green cover:
THE IMPOTENCE OF ERNEST / ROMANTIC AND SQUARE IS HIP AND AWARE
UK 7" with lilac cover:
THE IMPOTENCE OF ERNEST / WE HATES BAD GRAMMER
UK 12" with lilac cover:
THE IMPOTENCE OF ERNEST / ROMANTIC AND [ ] IS HIP N'AWARE
The a-side etching is a pun on Oscar Wilde's "The Importance Of Being Earnest", referencing Ernest Hemingway's latter-day impotence. The "Romantic and square..." etching is from Johnny Marr.

Additional release date information:
UK original 7" and 12": 24 August 1984
UK lilac 7" and 12" repressings: 16 November 1987
UK and Australian cd-singles: 1988
UK 2008 reissue: 24 November 2008

Chart peak information:
UK: 17

Promotion:
UK: Red label copies of the 7" format were sent to radio for promotion of this single.

Canada: This song wasn't released as a single in Canada, but a four-track promo 7" of "William, It Was Really Nothing" with three other artists (WEA EP #2) was used to promote "Hatful Of Hollow".

Denmark: The Swedish 7" was sent to radio with a green 'Dansk Sam' press sheet.

France: Stamped copies of the 12" single were used for promotion.

Germany: Stock copies of the 7" format were sent to radio with a white and yellow INFO sheet.

Italy: Copies of the 7" were stamped in ink and sent for promotion. The stock 12" of "William, It Was Really Nothing" is one of the Smiths' most collectible items, and promo stamped copies of it are even scarcer.

Quotes:
Morrissey: "What 'William, It Was Really Nothing' is about is... it occurred to me that within popular music if ever there were any records that discussed marriage they were always from the female's standpoint - female singers singing to women: whenever there were any songs saying 'do not marry, stay single, self-preservation, etc'. I thought it was about time there was a male voice speaking directly to another male saying that marriage was a waste of time... that, in fact, it was 'absolutely nothing'.

Morrissey, November 1984: "In America it's really a terrible situation. Sire won't even acknowledge songs that have been successful here [the UK] like 'Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now' and 'William, It Was Really Nothing'. They won't put them on record in any conceivable form. To me that's a tremendous blow, an absolute insult.