Cousin Kevin

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"Cousin Kevin"

Song by The Who
From the album Tommy
Album released	23 May 1969
Recorded	September 19 1968 to March 7, 1969
Genre	Rock
Song Length	4:07
Record label	Polydor
Producer	Kit Lambert
Tommy Album Listing
Christmas	Cousin Kevin	Acid Queen

"Cousin Kevin" is a song by the rock band The Who. It appears on Side 2 of the rock opera Tommy. It is about a sadistic young man who is left in charge of Tommy, a "deaf, dumb, and blind" boy and decides to torture him in various ways, including burning a cigarette on his arm, dunking his head in a full bathtub, and making him "stand in the rain and catch cold so [he] die[s]."

The song may have been intended to take place during or directly after the events of Christmas , as it follows directly after it in the track listing. Cousin Kevin may have been visiting for Christmas, and whilst everyone else went off to enjoy festivities, he stayed behind to torment Tommy.

The song was written and sung by John Entwistle upon request by Pete Townshend. Entwistle maintained that the song was inspired by the young boy who lived across the street from Entwistle. "Fiddle About", the other song on "Tommy" about child abuse (sexual, in this case), was also written by Entwistle.

The character was played by Paul Nicholas in the feature film Tommy (1975).