Poisoned Rose

From The Elvis Costello Wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search

The poisoned rose
That you gave to me
It left me half alive
And half in ecstasy
But if half of your love
Is all I can win
Give me just a fraction
But no more medicine

The poisoned rose
On a Valentine card
That you take straight to the heart
That you call my junkyard

But if all I can do
Is save pieces of you
The piece of your mind
The piece of your heart
Didn't tear me apart
Like the poisoned rose
I received from you

I don't know
How we came to grow
Into this very sad affair
Every time we do the decent thing
Somebody spikes the drink
And a single becomes a pair

The poisoned rose
That you wear at your best
That I keep pressed between the white sheets
Where you lie half undressed

I threw away my shirt and shoes
You looked and I dived in
It's just you and me now
'Cause I threw away the gin
I threw away your alibis
And all your worn-out clothes
I threw myself upon the floor
But I couldn't throw away
This poisoned rose
This poisoned rose
This poisoned rose

Poisoned Rose
Written byDeclan MacManus
Performed byThe Costello Show
Produced byThe Little Hands Of Concrete - vocals
Ray Brown - string bass
Earl Palmer - brushes & drums
Tom Canning - piano
Mitchell Froom - Hammond organ
RecordedJuly-August 1985, Ocean Way and/or Sunset Sound and/or Sound Factory, Los Angeles
ReleasedFebruary 21, 1986
AlbumsKing Of America, 1986
SinglesBaby Plays Around, 1989
CollectionsGirls Girls Girls, 1989
Length4:05

First known performance:
April 25, 1985, London, England
Last known performance:
2024
     (152 known performances)


Alternate versions

Poisoned Rose (Solo Demo)
Performed byElvis Costello
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
RecordedFebruary 14, 1985, Sunset Sound, Los Angeles
ReleasedApril 25, 2005
AlbumsKing Of America (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2005
Length4:09

Poisoned Rose (Live 2006)
Performed byElvis Costello & Allen Toussaint
featuring The Imposters, Anthony "AB" Brown & The Crescent City Horns
Horn arrangementAllen Toussaint
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
Allen Toussaint - piano
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Davey Faragher - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
Anthony "AB" Brown - guitar
Amadee Castenell - saxophone
Brian "Breeze" Cayolle - saxophone
Joe "Foxx" Smith - trumpet
Sam "Big Sam" Williams - trombone
RecordedJuly 3, 2006, Montreal, QC, Canada
ReleasedDecember 5, 2006
VideosHot As A Pistol, Keen As A Blade, 2006
King Of America1986 King Of America Album.jpg

Single: Baby Plays AroundBaby Plays Around UK 7" single front sleeve.jpg

Girls Girls GirlsGGG album cover 300.jpg

Hot As A Pistol, Keen As A BladeHot As A Pistol Keen As A Blade DVD cover.jpg

Covers

Nick Lowe performed live, 2010-10-01, RDSHP benefit, San Francisco, CA 2010 Richard de Lone Special Housing Project
Nick Lowe The Old Magic 2011 Amazon.uk
Caitlin Smith performed live, 2011-02-06, Hotel Debrett, Auckland, New Zealand 2011 link needed
Wendy Newcomer performed live, 2007-04-18, Nashville, TN 2007 YouTubewebsite
Becc Sanderson performed live, 2011 Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2011 YouTube
Erich Sellheim home studio production, sung in German 2019 YouTube

Internal links

External links