The Coasters’ “Poison Ivy” (1959) was a playful song written by Leiber & Stoller that compares a captivating woman to an infectious disease:. The single reached #1 R&B and #7 pop. In 1964 an Australian band covered it, hitting #1 there and famously blocking The Beatles from the top spot in Australia. The clever wordplay and tongue-in-cheek danger in the lyrics made it a Coasters staple.