The Acid Queen

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The Acid Queen is a character in the Who's rock opera Tommy. She is also a character in the movie Tommy, based on the rock opera, and is played by famous female musician Tina Turner. A number of other female vocalists including Elkie Brooks and Maggie Bell have also played the role.

[edit] The Acid Queen's origin

It is widely believed that when Pete Townshend wrote Tommy he wanted to use a lot of symbolism. He used Tommy's blindness ot represent our "...blindness to reality." The Acid Queen-most likely- represented drug abuse, a popular theme of common conversation in the late 1960's. The Acid Queen was created to be the symbol for drugs and drug abuse, because she attempts to use drugs to cure Tommy's ailments. (Deafness, muteness, and blindness.)

[edit] The Acid Queen's role in the film and the rock opera album

In both the film and the album, The Acid Queen is called by Mr. and Mrs. Walker. They ask her to cure their young boy. The acid Queen is the second person they turn to for help. She then tells the parents to "...give [them] just one night...alone." The parents do. The acid Queen's own slogan is "I'm guaranteed to tear your son apart." After they are gone, the Acid Queen uses drugs on Tommy. The parents know that she is doing this. After that one night alone, the parents come to pick up their son, Tommy. Although his senses are not back, he is in fact thinking now, as he never did before. So, in a way, the acid Queen did do her job. However, the Walker parents will not stop there when it comes to curing their son.