Their collaboration with legendary songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller gave them a unique sound that was very humorous most of the time. Their first huge hit came with "Young Blood" and "Searchin'." They also had success with hits such as "Yakety Yak," "Charlie Brown," and "Little Egypt."
Gardner was still touring with The Coasters as late as 2005, although he is the only surviving original member. Gardner is now semi-retired and has handed the reins over to his son Carl Jr.
In 1987, they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, thus becoming the first group to be inducted (the other inductees at the time were solo acts). In 2000, they were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall Of Fame. In 2004, "Young Blood" was #414 on Rolling Stone's Top 500 Songs Of All Time. "Young Blood" and "Yakety Yak" were part of The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame's 500 Songs That Shaped Rock & Roll. The band's song "Down In Mexico" appears on the new film, Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof.
Poison Ivy
The Coasters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She'll get you in Dutch
You can look but you better not touch
Poison ivy, poison ivy
Late at night while you're sleepin'
Poison ivy comes a-creepin' around
She'll really do you in
If you let her under your skin
Poison ivy, poison ivy
Late at night while you're sleepin'
Poison ivy comes a-creepin' around
Measles make you bumpy
And mumps'll make you lumpy
And chicken pox'll make you jump and twitch
A common cold'll fool ya
And whooping cough'll cool ya
But poison ivy, Lord'll make you itch!
You're gonna need an ocean of calamine lotion
You'll be scratchin' like a hound
The minute you start to mess around
Poison ivy, poison ivy
Late at night while you're sleepin'
Poison ivy comes a-creepin' around
Measles make you bumpy
And mumps'll make you lumpy
And chicken pox'll make you jump and twitch
A common cold'll fool ya
And whooping cough'll cool ya
But poison ivy, Lord'll make you itch!!
You're gonna need an ocean of calamine lotion
You'll be scratchin' like a hound
The minute you start to mess around
Poison ivy, poison ivy
Late at night while you're sleepin'
Poison ivy comes a-creepin' around
La da la da la da
La da la da la da
La da la da la da
La da la da la da
"Poison Ivy" is a metaphor used by The Coasters to describe a woman who may appear beautiful and harmless on the surface, but is actually dangerous and poisonous. The first verse warns against this woman's deceiving appearance, stating that "She comes on like a rose but everybody knows". She may appear attractive, but everyone is aware of her true nature. In the chorus, the band describes this woman as "poison ivy," creeping around in the night with the ability to infect and harm those who come into contact with her. The second verse reinforces this idea, explaining that she may look good, but if you let her into your life too deeply, she'll "really do you in."
The final verse uses humorous comparisons to other illnesses to underscore just how dangerous and uncomfortable contact with this woman can be. The Coasters sing that measles, chicken pox, and other ailments may make you uncomfortable, but "poison ivy, Lord'll make you itch!" The song's warnings are clear: beware the beautiful, dangerous woman who will leave you scratching and uncomfortable.
Line by Line Meaning
She comes on like a rose but everybody knows
Despite her beautiful appearance, it's no secret that she's trouble
She'll get you in Dutch
She'll cause you problems
You can look but you better not touch
It's safer to admire her from a distance
Poison ivy, poison ivy
A comparison to the plant poison ivy, which can also be beautiful but cause severe itching and rash
Late at night while you're sleepin'
She'll catch you off guard when you least expect it
Poison ivy comes a-creepin' around
She'll sneak up on you and cause problems
She's pretty as a daisy but look out man she's crazy
Despite her beauty, she's unstable and can cause chaos
She'll really do you in
She'll harm you in some way
If you let her under your skin
If you let her influence you, she'll cause problems
Measles make you bumpy
Listing other medical conditions that cause discomfort
And mumps'll make you lumpy
Listing other medical conditions that cause discomfort
And chicken pox'll make you jump and twitch
Listing other medical conditions that cause discomfort
A common cold'll fool ya
Listing other medical conditions that cause discomfort
And whooping cough'll cool ya
Listing other medical conditions that cause discomfort
But poison ivy, Lord'll make you itch!
Despite the discomfort of other conditions, poison ivy is the worst
You're gonna need an ocean of calamine lotion
You'll need a lot of relief for the itching
You'll be scratchin' like a hound
You'll be itching intensely
The minute you start to mess around
As soon as you get involved with her, you'll regret it
La da la da la da
Nonsensical filler
La da la da la da
Nonsensical filler
La da la da la da
Nonsensical filler
La da la da la da
Nonsensical filler
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind