TQID vs. S,HWC

[Worm]

I don't believe the gender of the other person is mentioned at all...

Aheh. That's true.

Yes, it's almost as if he means it...

In fact, you might argue that the blunter the lyric, the more he means it. In terms of titles, "I Know It's Over" is just as blunt as "I'm OK By Myself". Clearly they are two things he really wanted to say at the time. I think the ability of a pop lyric to be devastatingly direct is what Morrissey relishes about them. His songwriting journey in The Smiths is the breaking down of the the somewhat Sixth Form poetry approach of The Hand That Rocks The Cradle into a stream-lined, more bludgeonable form. And this, to the distress of some, is what he has continued to do in his solo work.

As for TQID vs S,HWC - I'm in the Strangeways compound.

Very good point. I think, though, that "I Know It's Over" is really a high point between the Sixth Form poetry of "The Hand That Rocks The Cradle" and the cruder stuff like "Let Me Kiss You". The song is devastatingly direct, as you say, but (to my point above) in "I Know It's Over" he includes the briefest, barest sketch of two lovers. The simple imagery of a "sad veiled bride" is so much more evocative and mysterious than anything in the blunter songs. There's also an interesting narrative layer written into the song, with the person in the song addressing others and being addressed by someone else. So while I get what you're saying, and I think you're correct in a general sense, "I Know It's Over", in my opinion, is actually a great example of how very simple, direct lyrics can still absorb the listener into a rich and interesting world. I can almost visualize a whole movie from listening to "I Know It's Over".

Also, regarding your observation about the shift in his lyrics, I think it should also be pointed out that his voice has improved so much, over the years, that he can now get away with writing simpler lyrics. His mature voice now conveys so much more meaning on its own. "I'm OK By Myself" and others wouldn't sound nearly as good if the Morrissey of 1983 had sung them.