Certain People I Know

Morrissey's Homage To Marc Bolan

Cover of the ‘Certain People I Know’ single.

Released as a single on December 7, 1992, 'Certain People I Know' was the third single from Morrissey’s third studio album, Your Arsenal, and his 15th single overall up to then. It was also the third and final Morrissey single to be produced by glam rock musician Mick Ronson (who also produced the Your Arsenal album).

Back cover of the single still in its shrink wrap.

Musically, the song was inspired by T. Rex's "Ride A White Swan". Morrissey even went to far as to release a 7-inch promo for the song designed to actually look like a T. Rex record.   Indeed, Morrissey would refer to the song as "Certain White Swans I Know" in live performances of the song on the Your Arsenal tour.

Oscar Wilde's maxim that "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.” is only partially applicable to Morrissey's 15th single. Rather, the abbreviated (and better known) version of Wilde's quote - that imitation is the