"Poison Ivy" is a popular song by American songwriting duo

Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller Lyricist Jerome Leiber (April 25, 1933 – August 22, 2011) and composer Michael Stoller (born March 13, 1933) were American songwriting and record producing partners. They found success as the writers of such crossover hit songs as " Hound Dog" ( ...

. It was originally recorded by

the Coasters The Coasters are an American rhythm and blues/rock and roll vocal group who had a string of hits in the late 1950s. Beginning with " Searchin'" and " Young Blood" in 1957, their most memorable songs were written by the songwriting and producin ...

in 1959. It went to #1 on the R&B chart, #7 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart, and #15 in the UK. This was their third top-ten hit of that year following "

Charlie Brown Charles "Charlie" Brown is the principal character of the comic strip '' Peanuts'', syndicated in daily and Sunday newspapers in numerous countries all over the world. Depicted as a "lovable loser," Charlie Brown is one of the great American a ...

" and " Along Came Jones".

Composition

Lyrics

The song discusses a girl known as "Poison Ivy". She is compared to

measles Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by measles virus. Symptoms usually develop 10–12 days after exposure to an infected person and last 7–10 days. Initial symptoms typically include fever, often greater than , cough, ...

mumps MUMPS ("Massachusetts General Hospital Utility Multi-Programming System"), or M, is an imperative, high-level programming language with an integrated transaction processing key–value database. It was originally developed at Massachusetts Gene ...

chickenpox Chickenpox, also known as varicella, is a highly contagious disease caused by the initial infection with varicella zoster virus (VZV). The disease results in a characteristic skin rash that forms small, itchy blisters, which eventually scab ...

, the

common cold The common cold or the cold is a viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory tract that primarily affects the respiratory mucosa of the nose, throat, sinuses, and larynx. Signs and symptoms may appear fewer than two days after expos ...

, and

whooping cough Whooping cough, also known as pertussis or the 100-day cough, is a highly contagious bacterial disease. Initial symptoms are usually similar to those of the common cold with a runny nose, fever, and mild cough, but these are followed by two or t ...

, but is deemed worse, because "Poison Ivy, Lord, will make you itch". According to lyricist Jerry Leiber, "Pure and simple, 'Poison Ivy' is a metaphor for a sexually transmitted disease". The song also makes references to other flowers such as a

rose A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be ...

and a

daisy Daisy, Daisies or DAISY may refer to: Plants * ''Bellis perennis'', the common daisy, lawn daisy or English daisy, a European species Other plants known as daisy * Asteraceae, daisy family ** '' Euryops chrysanthemoides'', African bush daisy ** ' ...

Cover versions

The Dave Clark Five The Dave Clark Five, also known as the DC5, were an English rock and roll band formed in 1958 in Tottenham, London. Drummer Dave Clark (musician), Dave Clark served as the group's leader, producer and co-songwriter. In January 1964 they had thei ...

– 1963. It was released as part of an E.P. *

The Paramounts The Paramounts were an English beat group based in Southend-on-Sea, Essex. They had one hit single with their cover version of " Poison Ivy", which reached No. 35 on the UK Singles Chart in 1964, but are primarily known as the forerunner to Proc ...

– 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. *

The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically dr ...

recorded two different versions in 1963, the first version appeared on the EP ''

'', released early 1964. The second version appeared on a 1972 compilation of the Rolling Stones called ''

More Hot Rocks (Big Hits & Fazed Cookies) ''More Hot Rocks (Big Hits & Fazed Cookies)'' is a compilation album by the Rolling Stones released in December 1972 on London Records. The album was a follow-up to the hugely successful '' Hot Rocks 1964–1971''. When '' Hot Rocks 1964–1971 ...

''. *

Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs were an Australian rock band formed in Sydney, New South Wales. The group enjoyed success in the mid-1960s, but split in 1967. They re-emerged in the early 1970s to become one of the most popular Australian hard-roc ...

– Australia #1/1964. It famously kept The Beatles from the #1 spot on the Sydney charts at the very moment that the group was making its first and only tour of Australia—a feat which resulted in Thorpe being invited to meet the Fab Four at their hotel. *

The Hollies The Hollies are a British pop rock band, formed in 1962. One of the leading British groups of the 1960s and into the mid-1970s, they are known for their distinctive three-part vocal harmony style. Allan Clarke and Graham Nash founded the band ...

- in 1963, on their first Australian LP. *

The Kingsmen The Kingsmen are a 1960s rock band from Portland, Oregon, United States. They are best known for their 1963 recording of R&B singer Richard Berry's " Louie Louie", which held the No. 2 spot on the '' Billboard'' charts for six weeks an ...

- on their ''

15 Great Hits ''15 Great Hits'' is the fifth album by the rock band The Kingsmen, released in 1966. Release and reception The Kingsmen's fifth album was an amalgam containing seven new songs, one previously released single, four alternate versions of previou ...

'' album in 1966. *

Manfred Mann Manfred Mann were an English rock band, formed in London and active between 1962 and 1969. The group were named after their keyboardist Manfred Mann, who later led the successful 1970s group Manfred Mann's Earth Band. The band had two diffe ...

– B-side of the 1966 single "You Gave Me Somebody to Love" * Redbone - 1972, on their album '' Already Here''. *

The Lambrettas The Lambrettas are an English mod revival band, first active in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Named after the iconic Italian Lambretta scooter brand popular among Mods, the band was formed in Brighton, England. Their original line-up cons ...

– 1980. They reached #7 in the British charts. *

Bobby and the Midnites Bobby and the Midnites was a rock group led by Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead. The band was Weir's main side project during the first half of the 1980s. They released two albums, but were better known for their live concerts than for their work ...

- Bob Weir - 1980. Live in concert 11/1/80 * The Romantics – on the 1985 album, '' Rhythm Romance''. *

Linda McCartney Linda Louise McCartney, Lady McCartney ( Eastman; September 24, 1941 – April 17, 1998) was an American photographer, musician, animal rights activist, vegetarian cookbook author and advocate, and entrepreneur. She was the keyboardist in th ...

– in 1987, and her cover was released on her posthumous album ''

Wide Prairie ''Wide Prairie'' is a posthumous compilation album by Linda McCartney, compiled by her husband Paul McCartney and released in October 1998, roughly six months after her death due to breast cancer. The idea for the album was inspired by a fan who ...

'' in 1998. * Young & Restless – 1988 *

The Nylons The Nylons are an a cappella group founded in 1978 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, best known for their covers of pop songs such as The Turtles' " Happy Together", Steam's "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye", and The Tokens' "The Lion Sleeps Tonight ...

– 1988, for the ''

Stealing Home ''Stealing Home'' is a 1988 American coming of age romantic drama film written and directed by Steven Kampmann and William Porter (billed as Will Aldis). The film stars Mark Harmon, Blair Brown, Jonathan Silverman, Harold Ramis, William McNamara ...

'' soundtrack. *

Ian Gillan Ian Gillan (born 19 August 1945) is a British singer who is best known as the lead singer and lyricist for the rock band Deep Purple. He is known for his powerful and wide-ranging singing voice. Initially influenced by Elvis Presley, Gillan ...

The Javelins The Javelins, sometimes also known as Ian Gillan & the Javelins, is a 1960s band fronted by singer Ian Gillan, later of Deep Purple. The other members included rhythm guitarist Tony Tacon, bass player Tony Whitfield, drummer Keith Roach and lead ...

played it in the '60s, then reunited and recorded it for the

Sole Agency and Representation ''Sole Agency and Representation'' is an album by The Javelins, a 1960s band fronted by Ian Gillan, which never made recordings until it reunited in 1994 to record an album of rock and roll covers. It was released in September 1994 by RPM Rec ...

album in 1994. *

Hanson Hanson or Hansson may refer to: People * Hanson (surname) * Hansson (surname) * Hanson (wrestler), ringname of an American professional wrestler Musical groups * Hanson (band), an American pop rock band * Hanson (UK band), an English rock ...

– on their 1995 album ''

Boomerang A boomerang () is a thrown tool, typically constructed with aerofoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight. A returning boomerang is designed to return to the thrower, while a non-returning ...

''. *

Meshell Ndegeocello Michelle Lynn Johnson, better known as Meshell Ndegeocello (; born August 29, 1968), is a German-born American singer-songwriter, rapper, and bassist. She has gone by the name Meshell Suhaila Bashir-Shakur which is used as a writing credit on so ...

– 1997, with slightly altered lyrics. Her cover was included on the '' Batman & Robin'' soundtrack, in which the villainess Poison Ivy is a main character. A greatly altered instrumental cover of the song by Jai Winding is heard in the film, but not on the soundtrack. *

Los Straitjackets Los Straitjackets is an American instrumental rock band that formed in Nashville, Tennessee, United States, in 1988. Originally comprising guitarists Danny Amis (formerly of the Raybeats), Eddie Angel and drummer L. J. "Jimmy" Lester under the ...

– in 2007 released a Spanish-language cover of the song titled "La Hiedra Venenosa," on their album '' Rock en Español, Vol. 1''. *

Giuliano Palma & the Bluebeaters Giuliano Palma and the Bluebeaters are a rising cover band in Italy and perform a mix of reggae, ska and rocksteady. Formed in 1994, the Bluebeaters comprises musicians of the Italian groups Casino Royale (Giuliano Palma, Ferdinando Masi, Patric ...

– on their 2008 album ''Boogaloo''. * Chris Burke * The Lords * Los Rebeldes del Rock – a Mexican band formed in 1957 by African-

Mexican Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...

singer Johnny Laboriel. Version in Spanish, "La Hiedra Venenosa", released on EP (Orfeon, 1964). * The Puppets * Golden Boys – in Portuguese, as "Erva Venenosa", in 1965, with the version's lyrics portraying an evil woma

Covered by Brazilian pop band Herva Doce in 1982, and

Rita Lee Rita Lee Jones (; born 31 December 1947) is a Brazilian rock singer, composer and writer. She is a former member of the Brazilian band Os Mutantes and is a popular figure in Brazilian entertainment, where she is also known for being an animal ...

on her album '' 3001'' in 2000. * Los Flippers, a Colombian rock and roll band of the 1960s, recorded a version in Spanish called "El Melenudo". * Bleached – on their 2014 EP ''For The Feel''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Poison Ivy (song) Songs written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller 1959 singles 1964 singles 1980 singles Batman (1989 film series) The Coasters songs The Dave Clark Five songs The Rolling Stones songs The Hollies songs The Romantics songs Manfred Mann songs Atco Records singles 1959 songs Songs about diseases and disorders