J.A.W. Posted August 22, 2011 Report Posted August 22, 2011 (edited) Songwriter Jerry Leiber of Leiber/Stoller fame has died. He was 78. Rolling Stone obit Edited August 22, 2011 by J.A.W. Quote
GA Russell Posted August 22, 2011 Report Posted August 22, 2011 Well, it's news to me that Poison Ivy was about the clap. I'll have to listen to it again. Quote
Stereojack Posted August 22, 2011 Report Posted August 22, 2011 Songwriter Jerry Leiber of Leiber/Stoller fame has died. He was 78. Rolling Stone obit Just recently have been enjoying the 3 volumes of Lieber-Stoller songs in the Ace songwriters' series. A great loss of a tremendous talent. Quote
paul secor Posted August 22, 2011 Report Posted August 22, 2011 Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller wrote so many wonderful songs. They were two pillars of American songwriting. Thank you, Mr. Leiber. You'll be missed. Quote
GA Russell Posted August 22, 2011 Report Posted August 22, 2011 Well, I just listened to Poison Ivy on spotify, and to say that it is about an STD is quite a stretch. It's like the person who sees a double entendre in everything. Quote
medjuck Posted August 22, 2011 Report Posted August 22, 2011 Great songwriters. Their joint autobiography is pretty good too. For years I used to see a big band record of theirs in the remainder pile of record stores. By the time I realized it was basically the Basie band I couldn't find it any more. Quote
J.A.W. Posted August 22, 2011 Author Report Posted August 22, 2011 (edited) Songwriter Jerry Leiber of Leiber/Stoller fame has died. He was 78. Rolling Stone obit Just recently have been enjoying the 3 volumes of Lieber-Stoller songs in the Ace songwriters' series. A great loss of a tremendous talent. Pity Ace didn't always pick the original hit versions of the songs. Edited August 22, 2011 by J.A.W. Quote
sonnymax Posted August 23, 2011 Report Posted August 23, 2011 Well, I just listened to Poison Ivy on spotify, and to say that it is about an STD is quite a stretch. It's like the person who sees a double entendre in everything. According to Songfacts: The song is about a femme fatale who is beautiful but dangerous, and much like poison ivy, can get under your skin and make you sick - or at least that's what we thought until 2009, when Leiber revealed in "Hound Dog: The Leiber & Stoller Autobiography": "'Poison Ivy' is a metaphor for a sexually transmitted disease - or the clap." Quote
Neal Pomea Posted August 23, 2011 Report Posted August 23, 2011 Well, I just listened to Poison Ivy on spotify, and to say that it is about an STD is quite a stretch. It's like the person who sees a double entendre in everything. "It's gonna take an ocean of calamine lotion?" I never heard of that being a remedy for the clap. I agree. It's a stretch. Enjoyed a lot of their songs over the years! Them and Doc Pomus. Quote
fasstrack Posted August 23, 2011 Report Posted August 23, 2011 Well, I just listened to Poison Ivy on spotify, and to say that it is about an STD is quite a stretch. It's like the person who sees a double entendre in everything. "It's gonna take an ocean of calamine lotion?" I never heard of that being a remedy for the clap. I agree. It's a stretch. Enjoyed a lot of their songs over the years! Them and Doc Pomus. I never knew or cared what it was really about. Just like millions of other people, as it turns out. It cracked me up as a kid. Instant connection to hilarious images. That's all I needed to know about it and why it stood out among so much cookie-cutter teen angst dreck. Quote
brownie Posted August 23, 2011 Report Posted August 23, 2011 For years I used to see a big band record of theirs in the remainder pile of record stores. By the time I realized it was basically the Basie band I couldn't find it any more. (Almost the) same here (I did not see the album around my places). It has been reissued on CD. Great lineup: Ernie Royal, Jimmy Nottingham, Joe Newman, Sonny Cohn (tp) Frank Rehak, Benny Powell, Henry Coker, Al Grey (tb) Marshal Royal (as) Frank Wess (as,fl) Frank Foster, Billy Mitchell (ts) Seldon Powell (ts,fl) Charlie Fowlkes (bar) Hank Jones (p) Freddie Green (g) Eddie Jones (b) Sonny Payne (d). Ellis Larkins and Kenny Burrell also show up! Quote
Dan Gould Posted August 23, 2011 Report Posted August 23, 2011 Well, I just listened to Poison Ivy on spotify, and to say that it is about an STD is quite a stretch. It's like the person who sees a double entendre in everything. "It's gonna take an ocean of calamine lotion?" I never heard of that being a remedy for the clap. I agree. It's a stretch. Do you think they were going to write about needing penicillin, or maybe the fact that it hurts when you piss? I don't need to examine the lyrics to decide if it could be about the clap or not. I believe the guys who wrote it when they say the song was inspired by STDs. Just because they had to write it knowing full well what could be recorded and aired on the radio doesn't mean that their description of the inspiration isn't true. Quote
sonnymax Posted August 24, 2011 Report Posted August 24, 2011 (edited) Well, I just listened to Poison Ivy on spotify, and to say that it is about an STD is quite a stretch. It's like the person who sees a double entendre in everything. "It's gonna take an ocean of calamine lotion?" I never heard of that being a remedy for the clap. I agree. It's a stretch. Do you think they were going to write about needing penicillin, or maybe the fact that it hurts when you piss? I don't need to examine the lyrics to decide if it could be about the clap or not. I believe the guys who wrote it when they say the song was inspired by STDs. Just because they had to write it knowing full well what could be recorded and aired on the radio doesn't mean that their description of the inspiration isn't true. Let's not forget the fact that the song's lyrics work quite well without any underlying meaning. With two older brothers warning me about the perils of dating and of girls in general, Poison Ivy served as a reminder of what could happen to you if allowed yourself to get too close. Edited August 24, 2011 by sonnymax Quote
Harold_Z Posted August 24, 2011 Report Posted August 24, 2011 Well, I just listened to Poison Ivy on spotify, and to say that it is about an STD is quite a stretch. It's like the person who sees a double entendre in everything. "It's gonna take an ocean of calamine lotion?" I never heard of that being a remedy for the clap. I agree. It's a stretch. Do you think they were going to write about needing penicillin, or maybe the fact that it hurts when you piss? I don't need to examine the lyrics to decide if it could be about the clap or not. I believe the guys who wrote it when they say the song was inspired by STDs. Just because they had to write it knowing full well what could be recorded and aired on the radio doesn't mean that their description of the inspiration isn't true. Exactly. Quote
JSngry Posted August 25, 2011 Report Posted August 25, 2011 I've always (well, ever since knowing how R&B songs really worked...) just assumed the double entendre. Quote
Dave James Posted August 25, 2011 Report Posted August 25, 2011 This is the one. My favorite Leiber tune done by one of my favorite singers. I get a genuine post-apocolyptic vibe from this. Quote
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