The Bunny Boy (song)

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"The Bunny Boy" is the title track from The Residents' 2008 album of the same name.

Background

The song recounts the character of Bunny's love for Bunnys, and how it started when he was a child. The Residents' first recording of it was almost 4 minutes long, but was cut down to 2 minutes when it appeared on the album. The original version was eventually released on the outtakes compilation Arkansas. It lacks the song's final intro and replaces it with a repetition of the chorus.

The only time the song was performed live was on The Bunny Boy tour, where it's largely the same as the album version except with alternate, looser, lyrics, as well as some additional keyboard parts.

Perhaps feeling that the song was released in an unfinished state, Charles Bobuck released a slightly longer remix of the track in 2013.

In 2018, a version of The Bunny Boy was included on the remix album 'I Am A Resident', in a mash-up with Make Me Moo & I'm Not Crazy. Interestingly, no covers of 'The Bunny Boy' or 'I'm Not Crazy' were submitted to the I Am A Resident campaign, implying these were recorded by The Residents.

Lyrics

[Intro]
Because they were without joy, happy homes or funny toys
They called me the bunny boy, just to make me cry

[Verse] 
Peter was my bunny's name, every time I called he came
Except the day he ran away
My mother found his hiding place and crawled inside as Peter ate
A carrot mommy used as bait
...and then she brought Peter out to me, standing in the rain, with tears running down my cheeks

[Chorus] 
They called him the bunny boy

Arkansas Demo Version

[Chorus] 
They called him the bunny boy

[Verse] 
Peter was my bunny's name, every time I called he came
Except the day he ran away
My mother found his hiding place and crawled inside as Peter ate
A carrot mommy used as bait

[Chorus] 
They called him the bunny boy

Radio Thoreau Version

[Chorus] 
They called him the bunny boy

[Verse]
Because they were without joy, happy homes or funny toys
They called me the bunny boy, just to make me cry

Peter was my bunny's name, every time I called he came
Except the day he ran away
My mother found his hiding place and crawled inside as Peter ate
A carrot mommy used as bait
...and then she brought Peter out to me, standing in the rain, with tears running down my cheeks

[Chorus] 
They called him the bunny boy 
Peter. Peter. Peter 
Peter. Peter. Peter 

Live Version

Because they were without joy, happy homes or funny toys
They called me the bunny boy, just to see me cry
Peter was my bunny's name, every time I called he came
Except the day he ran away
My mother found his hiding place and crawled inside as Peter ate
A carrot mommy used as bait
...and then - and then she came out and she - and she handed Peter to me, and I just grabbed him and hugged him, crying, standing there crying in the rain.

[Chorus] 
They called him the bunny boy

Appearances

• The Bunny Boy (2008)
• Arkansas (2009)
• Ozark (2011)
• Radio Thoreau Download Series (2013)
• I Am A Resident! (2018)
• Bunny Boy Live In Frankfurt (2021)