Poisoned Rose

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 by	Declan MacManus
Performed by	The Costello Show
Produced by	The Little Hands Of Concrete - vocals Ray Brown - string bass Earl Palmer - brushes & drums Tom Canning - piano Mitchell Froom - Hammond organ
Recorded	July-August 1985, Ocean Way and/or Sunset Sound and/or Sound Factory, Los Angeles
Released	February 21, 1986
Albums	King Of America, 1986
Singles	Baby Plays Around, 1989
Collections	Girls Girls Girls, 1989
Length	4:05

First known performance:
April 25, 1985, London, England
(153 known performances)

Alternate versions

Poisoned Rose (Solo Demo)
Performed by	Elvis Costello
Musicians	Elvis Costello - vocal, guitar
Recorded	February 14, 1985, Sunset Sound, Los Angeles
Released	April 25, 2005
Albums	King Of America (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2005
Length	4:09

Poisoned Rose (Live 2006)
Performed by	Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint featuring The Imposters, Anthony "AB" Brown & The Crescent City Horns
Horn arrangement	Allen Toussaint
Musicians	Elvis 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
Recorded	July 3, 2006, Montreal, QC, Canada
Released	December 5, 2006
Videos	Hot As A Pistol, Keen As A Blade, 2006