Because [“William, It Was Really Nothing”] was such a fast, short, upbeat song, I wanted the B-side to be different, so I wrote “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want” on Saturday in a different time signature — in a waltz time as a contrast. I was kind of happied out after writing “William.”

— Johnny Marr, Mad World: An Oral History of the New Wave Artist and Songs That Defined The 1980s

I think it was very close [to the perfect Smiths song] indeed, and hiding it away on a B-side was sinful. I feel sad about it now although we did include it on Hatful Of Hollow by way of semi-repentance. When we first played it to Rough Trade, they kept asking, “where’s the rest of the song?” But to me, it’s like a very brief punch in the face. Lengthening the song would, to my mind, have simply been explaining the blindingly obvious.

— Morrissey, Melody Maker, 1987