Love Potion #9
Ross Mitchell his Band And Singers Lyrics


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I took my troubles down to Madame Ruth
You know that gypsy with the gold-capped tooth
She's got a pad down on Thirty-Fourth and Vine
Selling little bottles of love potion number nine
I told her that I was a flop with chics
I've been this way since 1956
She looked at my palm and she made a magic sign
She said "What you need is love potion number nine"
She bent down and turned around and gave me a wink
She said "I'm gonna make it up right here in the sink"
It smelled like turpentine, it looked like Indian ink
I held my nose, I closed my eyes, I took a drink
I didn't know if it was day or night
I started kissing everything in sight
But when I kissed a cop down on Thirty-Fourth and Vine
He broke my little bottle of Love Potion Number Nine
I held my nose, I closed my eyes, I took a drink
I didn't know if it was day or night
I started kissing everything in sight
But when I kissed a cop down on Thirty-Fourth and Vine
He broke my little bottle of Love Potion Number Nine
Love potion number nine




Love Potion number nine
Love Potion number nine

Overall Meaning

The song "Love Potion #9" by Ross Mitchell and his Band And Singers details the story of a man who feels unlucky in love and decides to seek the help of a gypsy named Madame Ruth. She sells him a concoction called "Love Potion Number Nine" that is supposed to make him irresistible to women. The man drinks the potion and immediately begins kissing everything in sight, including a police officer who promptly destroys the bottle. The song is written in a catchy, upbeat style that makes it seem like a lighthearted and humorous tale, but there are deeper themes at play as well.


The lyrics of "Love Potion #9" can be seen as an exploration of the dangers of trying to find love through artificial means. The man in the song is so desperate to be loved that he is willing to drink a strange potion from a stranger just to make it happen. The consequences of his actions are disastrous- he ends up kissing a police officer and losing the one thing that was supposed to help him find love. The song warns against trying to shortcut the process of finding love and suggests that true love can only come about organically.


Line by Line Meaning

I took my troubles down to Madame Ruth
I went to a fortune teller named Madame Ruth to solve my problems


You know that gypsy with the gold-capped tooth
Madame Ruth had a distinctive feature - a gold-capped tooth


She's got a pad down on Thirty-Fourth and Vine
Madame Ruth's place of business is located at the intersection of Thirty-Fourth and Vine


Selling little bottles of love potion number nine
Madame Ruth was selling small bottles of a liquid called Love Potion Number Nine


I told her that I was a flop with chics
I confided in Madame Ruth that I was unsuccessful with women


I've been this way since 1956
I've had this problem since 1956


She looked at my palm and she made a magic sign
Madame Ruth read my palm and made a mystical gesture


She said "What you need is love potion number nine"
Madame Ruth recommended that I try Love Potion Number Nine


She bent down and turned around and gave me a wink
Madame Ruth made a flirtatious gesture as she prepared the potion


She said "I'm gonna make it up right here in the sink"
Madame Ruth mixed the potion in her sink


It smelled like turpentine, it looked like Indian ink
Love Potion Number Nine had an unpleasant odor and appearance


I held my nose, I closed my eyes, I took a drink
Despite its unpleasantness, I drank the potion


I didn't know if it was day or night
The potion caused a disorienting effect


I started kissing everything in sight
Under the influence of the potion, I became very affectionate


But when I kissed a cop down on Thirty-Fourth and Vine
My affectionate behavior led me to kiss a police officer at Thirty-Fourth and Vine


He broke my little bottle of Love Potion Number Nine
The police officer broke the bottle containing Love Potion Number Nine


Love potion number nine
A repeated refrain emphasizing the song's subject


Love Potion number nine
A repeated refrain emphasizing the song's subject


Love Potion number nine
A repeated refrain emphasizing the song's subject




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