The live performances rarely deviated from the album arrangement, save for an occasional jam at the end sometimes leading to another song. This song is one of the band's most famous live songs, being played at almost every Who concert since its debut live performance on. The song 'Pinball Wizard' was written and recorded almost immediately. Knowing Cohn was an avid pinball fan, Townshend suggested that Tommy would play pinball, and Cohn immediately declared Tommy to be a masterpiece. Following this, Townshend, as Tommy's principal composer, discussed the album with Cohn and concluded that, to lighten the load of the rock opera's heavy spiritual overtones (Townshend had recently become deeply interested in the teachings of Meher Baba), the title character, a 'deaf, dumb, and blind' boy, should also be particularly good at a certain game. In late 1968 or early 1969, when The Who played a rough assembly of their new album to critic Nik Cohn, Cohn gave a lukewarm reaction. The song was introduced into Tommy as an afterthought. It was a perpetual concert favourite for Who fans due to its pop sound and familiarity.

Townshend once called it 'the most clumsy piece of writing ever done' nevertheless, the song was a commercial success and one of the most recognised tunes from the opera. Always has a replay Never tilts at all That deaf dumb and blind kid Sure plays a mean pin ball.', and ' I thought I was the Bally table king, but I just handed my pinball crown to him'. The lyrics are written from the perspective of a pinball champion, called 'Local Lad' in the Tommy libretto book, astounded by the skills of the opera's eponymous main character, Tommy Walker: ' What makes him so good? He ain't got no distractions Can't hear those buzzers and bells Don't see lights a flashin' Plays by sense of smell.

Pinball wizard lyric