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Rolling Stones songs: Poison Ivy
POISON IVY: BAD GIRL, BIG TWIST Everyone thinks the Stones were all about blues but, really, they were rocking catchy covers from day one. Poison Ivy, crafted by Leiber and Stoller, is about a dangerously seductive woman who’s as deadly as she is charming. Fans thought it was just a naughty girl anthem—but surprise! It’s actually a sly warning about an STD. Classic Stones move: irresistible beat, cheeky lyrics, and just enough danger to keep you hooked.
Measles make you bumpy/ And mumps will make you lumpy…
More about The Rolling Stones’ version of Poison Ivy
*By Marcelo Sonaglioni
The Rolling Stones, Poison Ivy, and the Blues That Wasn’t
Most people think the Rolling Stones started as a straight-up blues band, digging through obscure American tracks. Sure, their early sets were packed with these tunes—but from day one, the Stones knew they were really churning out commercially catchy rock’n’roll covers, not underground blues anthems.
Poison Ivy was born from the legendary Leiber and Stoller, the songwriting power duo behind hits for Elvis, the Drifters, and the Coasters. Their track record? Iconic songs like Hound Dog and Stand by Me. This little gem tells the tale of a dangerously seductive woman—a “poison ivy” who leaves more than emotional scars. Fun twist: fans assumed it was just a tale of a bad girl, but beneath the rock’n’roll swagger, it was actually a cautionary story about a nasty STD. Talk about rock history with a wink and a sting.
Poison Ivy: The Stones, Femme Fatales, and Hidden Dangers
The Rolling Stones were hooked on catchy, trouble-laden tales of women from the start. Poison Ivy, penned by the legendary Jerry Leiber, is the ultimate femme fatale: “She’s pretty as a daisy, but late at night when you’re sleeping / Poison ivy comes a creeping all around.” Fun fact: Leiber later revealed to David Ritz that Poison Ivy was a sly metaphor for a sexually transmitted disease. A few years later, the same songwriting duo gifted the world Love Potion No. 9, another irresistible-yet-dangerous woman story, which the Stones eagerly played in their early gigs.
The Stones weren’t about to let Poison Ivy slip away. They reworked it for their January 1964 UK EP, slowing the tempo, smoothing the texture, and ditching the awkward washboard tick for rich harmonies. A repeated final verse adds punch, and although Decca UK had originally slated it as a 1963 single alongside Fortune Teller, it was ultimately canceled—until the Stones brought it to life their way.
Poison Ivy: The Stones’ Femme Fatale That Took Its Time
Poison Ivy’s journey through the Rolling Stones’ catalog is more tangled than the vines in its lyrics. The original version, intended for a single, ended up on the obscure Decca compilation Saturday Club, leaving fans confused. It never saw a US release until the early 1970s More Hot Rocks compilation, and both takes finally landed together in the 2002 ABKCO reissue as Poison Ivy (version 1) and version 2.
Version 1 sticks close to the Coasters’ blueprint, complete with wood block percussion and rough, throaty harmonies. The Stones sound a little casual, as if they’re going through the motions. Version 2, however, is where the magic clicks: slightly slower tempo, smoother delivery, and a laid-back groove that lets Jagger and the band shine.
The song’s allure wasn’t limited to the Stones—other British Invasion acts, from the Hollies to Manfred Mann and the Paramounts, also took a stab at the mischievous, dangerous lady who lurks in every verse.
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