Poison Ivy (song)
"Poison Ivy" is a popular song by American songwriting duo Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. It was originally recorded by The Coasters in 1959. It went to #1 on the R&B chart and #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[1] This was their third top-ten hit of that year following "Charlie Brown" and "Along Came Jones".
The song discusses a girl named Ivy, calling her "Poison Ivy" because of her reputation with men as a player. The song makes references to other flowers such as a rose and a daisy, and diseases like measles, mumps, chickenpox, the common cold, and whooping cough. In a recently published biography about Jerry Lieber & Mike Stoller, the song's authors, it was revealed that the song's lyrics are about sexually-transmitted disease, not the illnesses previously thought.
Cover versions
- The Paramounts recorded and released a version in 1963. It released as both a single (1963) and as part of a E.P (released 1964). The single version got to #35 on the U.K Charts.[3][4]
- The Rolling Stones recorded two different versions in 1963, the second version appeared on the EP The Rolling Stones, released early 1964. The first version appeared on a 1972 compilation of the Rolling Stones called More Hot Rocks (Big Hits & Fazed Cookies).[3]
- The song was also a massive nationwide hit for Australian group Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs in 1964, famously knocking The Beatles off the #1 spot on the charts there, even though they were touring the country at the time.[3]
- The Hollies recorded a version in the 1960s.
- Hanson recorded a version included on their first independent album, Boomerang.
- Versions were also later recorded by The Puppets, Manfred Mann and The Lords in the mid-1960s.
- The Lambrettas in 1980, who performed a "Mod" version of the song which reached #7 in the British charts.
- Linda McCartney recorded the song in 1987 and her cover was released on her posthumous album Wide Prairie in 1998.
- A hip-hop version was also recorded in 1988 by Young & Restless.
- It was also covered by Chris Burke.
- In 1997, a trip-hop version of the song with slightly altered lyrics was recorded by Meshell Ndegeocello. Her cover was included on the Batman & Robin soundtrack, in which Poison Ivy the villainess, was a main character.
- In 2007 Los Straitjackets released a Spanish-language cover of the song titled "La Hiedra Venenosa," on their album Rock en Español, Vol. 1.
- 60s Brazilian artist Rita Lee has recently released a cover version of "Poison Ivy" translated to Portuguese and titled "Erva Venenosa". Rita's version features a more modern approach and have played a lot on Brazilian radio.
- In 2008 the Italian ska band Giuliano Palma & the Bluebeaters recorded a version of this song in their album Boogaloo.
- In 1964 Turkish musician Baris Manco recorded a French version for Henri Salvadors Rigola label
- It was also covered by The Romantics on the 1985 LP: "Rhythm Romance".
Popular culture references
- The song is sung by Rack 'Em Rack Willie from The Damn Show on numerous occasion
- The song was included in the musical revue "Smokey Joe's Cafe"
- An instrumental only version of the song features distinctly in the soundtrack playing during the first appearance of the villain Poison Ivy in the 1997 film 'Batman and Robin'
References