John's first song for the album, '
Cousin Kevin', is a typically offbeat and macabre one, telling the tale of Tommy's encounter with his cousin Kevin, who is a sadistic bully
John:
"I was sent off the write something horrible. 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."
"Were on our own cousin,
all alone cousin.
Let's think of a game to play
Now the grownups have all gone away.
You won't be much fun
being blind deaf and dumb
But I've no one to play with today.
D'you know how to play hide and seek?
To find me it would take you a week,
But tied to that chair you won't go anywhere
There's a lot I can do to a freak.
How would you feel if I turned on the bath,
Ducked your head under and started to laugh.
What would you do if I shut you outside,
To stand in the rain
and catch cold so you died?
I'm the school bully,
The classroom cheat.
The nastiest playfriend,
You ever could meet.
I'll stick pins in your fingers
And tread on your feet...
Were on our own cousin,
all alone cousin.
Let's think of a game to play
Now the grownups have all gone away.
You won't be much fun
being blind deaf and dumb
But I've no one to play with today.
D'you know how to play hide and seek?
To find me it would take you a week,
But tied to that chair you won't go anywhere
There's a lot I can do to a freak.
Maybe a cigarette burn on your arm
Would change your expression to one of alarm,
I'll drag you around by a lock of your hair
Or give you a push at the top of the stairs...
I'm the school bully !
The classroom cheat.
The nastiest playfriend,
You ever could meet.
I'll put glass in your dinner
And spikes in your seat..."
'
The Acid Queen', originally entitled 'Gypsy Song', features Pete on vocals for what appears to be an overtly drug oriented song with strong rock melodies and an infectious hook. But there's more to it than that. The song is not just about LSD, it's about the whole drug culture, alcohol culture; sex culture wrapped into one song
Pete:
It's about how you get it laid onto you that if you haven't f**ked forty birds, taken sixty acid trips, drank one hundred pints or whatever...society - people - force it on you. The Acid Queen represents that force
"If your child ain't all he should be now
This girl will put him right.
I'll show him what he could be now
Just give me one night.
I'm the Gypsy - the acid Queen.
Pay before we start.
I'm the Gypsy - The acid queen.
I'll tear your soul apart.
Give us a room and close the door
Leave us for a while.
Your boy won't be a boy no more
Young, but not a child.
I'm the Gypsy - the acid queen.
Pay before we start.
I'm the Gypsy the acid queen.
I'll tear your soul apart.
Gather your wits and hold on fast,
Your mind must learn to roam.
Just as the Gypsy Queen must do
You're gonna hit the road.
My work is done now look at him
He's never been more alive.
His head it shakes his fingers clutch.
Watch his body writhe
I'm the Gypsy - the acid queen.
Pay before we start.
I'm the Gypsy - I'm guaranteed.
To break your little heart."