Cousin Kevin Lyrics

[Verse 2]
Maybe a cigarette burn on your arm
Would change your expression to one of alarm
Drag you around by a lock of your hair
Or give you a push at the top of the stairs


[Outro]
I'm the school bully, the classroom cheat
The nastiest play-friend you ever could meet
I'll put glass in your dinner and spikes in your seat

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About

Genius Annotation

At this part of the story, Tommy’s parents begin to neglect him, and Tommy is left alone with his sadistic cousin Kevin.

Cousin Kevin, infuriated with the fact that Tommy is disabled, begins to torture Tommy. Kevin ties Tommy to a chair and threatens to drown, burn, cripple, and kill Tommy.

The song was written by bassists John Entwistle, the first of two songs on the album he wrote, the second being “Fiddle About”.

Regarding the creation of the song, Entwistle said:

I actually based Cousin Kevin on a boy who lived across the street. Our parents thought we should play together, and he was completely sadistic. Musically, I wanted the piece to sound both sinister and childish, so I came up with a kind of ‘Chopsticks’ theme on the piano to make it sound like a simple children’s song."

Q&A

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Credits
Produced By
Written By
Recorded At
IBC and Morgan Studios, London (September 19, 1968 - March 7, 1969)
Release Date
May 23, 1969
Cousin Kevin Live Performances
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