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Poison Ivy (song)
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Wikipedia article
"'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, #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" and "Along Came Jones".
Composition
Lyrics
The song discusses a girl known as "Poison Ivy". She is compared to measles, mumps, chickenpox, the common cold, and whooping cough, 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 and a daisy.Cover versions
* The Dave Clark Five 1963. It was released as part of an E.P.
* The Paramounts 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 recorded two different versions in 1963, the first version appeared on the EP 'The Rolling Stones', released early 1964. The second version appeared on a 1972 compilation of the Rolling Stones called 'More Hot Rocks (Big Hits & Fazed Cookies)'.
* Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs 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 Australiaa feat which resulted in Thorpe being invited to meet the Fab Four at their hotel.
* The Hollies released a version in 1963 on their first Australian LP.
* The Kingsmen released a version on their '15 Great Hits' album in 1966.
* Manfred Mann B-side of the 1966 single "You Gave Me Somebody to Love"
* Redbone released a version in 1972 on their album 'Already Here'.
* The Lambrettas 1980. Their version reached #7 in the British charts.
* Bobby and the Midnites - Bob Weir - 1980. Live in concert 11/1/80
* The Romantics on the 1985 album, 'Rhythm Romance'.
* Linda McCartney recorded the song in 1987 and her cover was released on her posthumous album 'Wide Prairie' in 1998.
* Young & Restless 1988
* The Nylons recorded a version in 1988 for the 'Stealing Home' soundtrack.
* Ian Gillan & The Javelins played it in the '60s, then reunited and recorded it for the Sole Agency and Representation album in 1994.
* Hanson on their 1995 album 'Boomerang'.
* Meshell Ndegeocello 1997, with slightly altered lyrics. Her cover was included on the 'Batman & Robin' soundtrack, in which the villainess Poison Ivy is a main character.
* Los Straitjackets in 2007 released a Spanish-language cover of the song titled "La Hiedra Venenosa," on their album 'Rock en Espaol, Vol. 1'.
* Giuliano Palma & the Bluebeaters on their 2008 album 'Boogaloo'.
* Chris Burke
* The Lords
* Los Rebeldes del Rock a Mexican band formed in 1957 by African-Mexican 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 woman.[http://www.vagalume.com.br/golden-boys/erva-venenosa.html] Covered by Brazilian pop band Herva Doce in 1982, and Rita Lee 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
Category:Songs written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
Category:1959 singles
Category:1964 singles
Category:1980 singles
Category:Batman (1989 film series)
Category:The Coasters songs
Category:The Dave Clark Five songs
Category:The Rolling Stones songs
Category:The Hollies songs
Category:The Romantics songs
Category:Manfred Mann songs
Category:Atco Records singles
Category:Decca Records EPs
Category:1959 songs
Category:Songs about diseases and disorders
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