Thorpe also performed as a solo artist; he relocated to the United States from 1976 to 1996 where he released the space opera Children of the Sun, which peaked in the top 40 of the Billboard Pop Album chart in 1979. He worked with ex-Aztec Tony Barber to form a soft toy company in 1987 and co-wrote stories for The Puggle Tales and Tales from the Lost Forests. Thorpe also worked as a producer and composed music scores for TV series including War of the Worlds, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Columbo, Eight Is Enough and Hard Time on Planet Earth.
Thorpe returned to Australia in 1996 and continued as a performer and producer, additionally he authored two autobiographies, Sex and Thugs and Rock 'n' Roll (1996) and Most People I Know (Think That I'm Crazy) (1998). According to Australian rock music historian Ian McFarlane, "Thorpie evolved from child star, beat pop sensation and cuddly pop crooner to finally emerge as the country's wildest and heaviest blues rocker [...] Thorpie was the unassailable monarch of Australian rock music". Thorpe was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame in 1991. He died of a myocardial infarction in February 2007 and was posthumously appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in June for his contribution to music as a musician, songwriter and producer.
Poison Ivy
Billy Thorpe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
get you in touchYou can look but you'd better not touchLate
at night when your sleepingPoison Ivy comes a creeping
aroundPoison Ivy, Poison IvyShe's pretty as a daisyBut
look out man she's crazy She'll really reel you in
Measles makes you mumpyIf you let her get under your
skin And mumps will make you lumpyA common cold will
fool yaAnd chicken pox will make you jump and twitch
cool yaBut poison ivy loves to make you itchYour gonna
need an ocean (gonna need an ocean)Of calamine lotion
(oh, your gonna need it)You'll be scratching like a
hound (boy, you'll be itching)The minute you start
to mess aroundLate at night when your sleepingPoison
Ivy, Poison IvyPoison Ivy comes a creeping aroundLate
at night when your sleepingPoison Ivy comes a creeping
aroundPoison Ivy, Poison IvyAnd mumps will make you
lumpyMeasles makes you mumpyAnd chicken pox will make
you jump and twitch (make you jump and twitch)A common
cold will fool yaAnd whooping coughs will cool yaBut
poison ivy loves to make you itchOf calamine lotion
(oh, your gonna need it)Your gonna need an ocean
(gonna need an ocean)You'll be scratching like a hound
(boy, you'll be itching)The minute you start to mess
aroundPoison Ivy, Poison IvyPoison Ivy comes a creeping
aroundLate at night when your sleeping
The lyrics of Billy Thorpe's song Poison Ivy are a metaphorical depiction of a poisonous woman who appears to be innocent and attractive, but is actually dangerous and capable of harm. The rose reference in the lyrics suggests how the woman in question is as captivating as a rose, but just like the thorns on a rose, she is dangerous to those who come into contact with her. The song also mentions various diseases such as measles, mumps, and chickenpox, which are used as a metaphor for the dangers of getting too close to the woman- they will all make you suffer in some way.
The lyrics suggest that the poisonous woman's true intentions are to seduce men and cause them to itch, scratch and suffer, like the itch that poison ivy causes. The use of the word "itch" implies a desire or craving that is hard to resist, which in turn, shows the temptation that the woman poses. The lyrics advise men to be cautious around her and not to touch her, as her beauty is beguiling and might lead to ruin.
Overall, Poison Ivy is a cautionary tale about seduction and temptation, and how it can lead to harm and suffering in the end.
Line by Line Meaning
She comes on like a rose
She appears to be gentle and lovely like a rose
But everybody knows
But everyone knows that her charm is a facade
She'll get you in touch
She'll lure you in with her beauty
You can look but you'd better not touch
You can admire her from afar, but don't get too close
Late at night when your sleeping
When you're vulnerable and unaware
Poison Ivy comes a creeping around
She sneaks up on you
She's pretty as a daisy
She's attractive and charming
But look out man she's crazy
But beware, she's not stable
She'll really reel you in
She'll pull you in with her allure
Measles makes you mumpy
Measles causes skin eruptions
If you let her get under your skin
If you let her get close to you
And mumps will make you lumpy
Mumps causes swelling in the face and neck
A common cold will fool ya
A mild illness can deceive you
And chicken pox will make you jump and twitch
Chickenpox causes itching and discomfort
And whooping coughs will cool ya
Whooping cough causes a sensation of coolness in the chest
But poison ivy loves to make you itch
But Poison Ivy specifically loves to cause discomfort and itching
Your gonna need an ocean
You will need a lot
Of calamine lotion
Of a lotion used to soothe skin irritations
You'll be scratching like a hound
You'll itch intensely
The minute you start to mess around
The moment you get too close or involved
Poison Ivy comes a creeping around
She sneaks up on you
And mumps will make you lumpy
Mumps causes swelling in the face and neck
Measles makes you mumpy
Measles causes skin eruptions
And chicken pox will make you jump and twitch
Chickenpox causes itching and discomfort
A common cold will fool ya
A mild illness can deceive you
And whooping coughs will cool ya
Whooping cough causes a sensation of coolness in the chest
But poison ivy loves to make you itch
But Poison Ivy specifically loves to cause discomfort and itching
Your gonna need an ocean
You will need a lot
Of calamine lotion
Of a lotion used to soothe skin irritations
You'll be scratching like a hound
You'll itch intensely
The minute you start to mess around
The moment you get too close or involved
Poison Ivy, Poison Ivy
Repeating the name to emphasize the danger she poses
Late at night when your sleeping
When you're vulnerable and unaware
Poison Ivy comes a creeping around
She sneaks up on you
Poison Ivy, Poison Ivy
Repeating the name to emphasize the danger she poses
And mumps will make you lumpy
Mumps causes swelling in the face and neck
Measles makes you mumpy
Measles causes skin eruptions
And chicken pox will make you jump and twitch
Chickenpox causes itching and discomfort
A common cold will fool ya
A mild illness can deceive you
And whooping coughs will cool ya
Whooping cough causes a sensation of coolness in the chest
But poison ivy loves to make you itch
But Poison Ivy specifically loves to cause discomfort and itching
Of calamine lotion
Of a lotion used to soothe skin irritations
Your gonna need an ocean
You will need a lot
Of calamine lotion
Of a lotion used to soothe skin irritations
You'll be scratching like a hound
You'll itch intensely
The minute you start to mess around
The moment you get too close or involved
Poison Ivy, Poison Ivy
Repeating the name to emphasize the danger she poses
Poison Ivy comes a creeping around
She sneaks up on you
Late at night when your sleeping
When you're vulnerable and unaware
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Christina Reuter Mitchell
In spite of its mid-60s style, this song still sounds great in 2023 -- truly a timeless classic!
Sheddy Morrison
Hello Christina, how are you doing today,hope you're good 😊👋
The18Angus
I cant belive these guys knocked the beatles off the number one spot when the beatles were actually touring australia at the same time..hats off to them ..
ThatESC
The18Angus Apparently their songs were based off of them, as the Beatles were in England, but not yet Australia, and Billy and Tony were British migrants.
David Wealand
Only in Australia!!
Laurie Aylmore
@ThatESC gee picky Billy was 9/10 when he got to Australia !!!!
James Lingo
Who are thé Beatles? Never heard
SEE YAI AYE
I've heard it on Spicks and Specks, jj and even a few old timers irl that when the Beatles were playing thousands more went to see Billy and the Aztecs that night instead, hard to find many sources online though.
Andrew K
Best version of this song that I've ever heard. So much better than the Rolling Stones' version.
Dale McCamish
I have just heard The Hollies version of this, now I think the Hollies are one of the greatest. Can't hold a candle to this version. Still sends shivers up my spine. R.I.P. BIlly