I suspect Nabokov would have loved the mention. And how could you roll your eyes at lyrical perfection?
Well he pronounced the name wrong to begin with. It’s Na-BO-Kov.
Even Sting said this....”I’ve used that terrible, terrible rhyme technique a few times. Technically, it’s called a feminine rhyme – where it’s so appalling it’s almost humorous. You don’t normally get those type of rhymes in pop music and I’m glad!”
Still a great song just the same. (Unlike the totally unnecessary 1986 remix)