Everyone has their struggles, whether that is running late, battling anxiety, or things that are larger like putting on a front for people or deceiving others. In a relationship, it is important to understand if someone is dealing with those struggles, acknowledging them, and deciding where to go from there. Scott Weiland touches on these topics in Stone Temple Pilots’ song, “Sour Girl.”
“Sour Girl” is the fifth song on Stone Temple Pilots’ album, “No. 4,” released October 26, 1999. The album was a return to their hard-rock roots, blending elements of heavy metal, psychedelic rock, and alternative rock. All songs on the album have their individual and unique meaning, with “Sour Girl” sticking out as the most popular on the album.
Starting with a soft guitar melody, Weiland sings, “She turned away, what was she looking at? / She was a sour girl the day that she met me / Hey, what are you looking at? / She was a happy girl the day that she left me.” Weiland opened up about this in his autobiography, “Not Dead and Not for Sale,” saying how he wrote the song after his collapsing marriage with Janina Castaneda.
The song heightens in the chorus, “What would you do? / What would you do if I follow you? / What would you do? I follow,” and when Weiland sings, “Say, what are you looking at? / I was a superman but looks are deceiving.” Weiland’s vocals hauntingly blend into the instruments in the background as he highlights his struggles and how they had been misleading.
With the band’s signature gritty guitars and deep lyrics, the song creates a moody atmosphere that depicts a relationship in turmoil, one that everyone can relate to. The ending verses make it clear to the listeners the pain that Weiland is feeling and he repeats, “She was a happy girl the day that she left me / The day that she left me,” as the song slowly ends.
The intensity of the lyrics cannot be ignored, but for me, the reason this song stands out is because of how the instruments paint the picture. With the soft rock-feel it gives off, without listening to the lyrics, one would have never guessed just how deep the song was, and it is just too catchy to ignore.
Stone Temple Pilots was formed in 1987 in San Diego, California, and went on to perform until 2003, resuming in 2008. Scott Weiland was found dead of an accidental overdose on December 3, 2015, and in 2016, Stone Temple Pilots hired Jeff Gutt as the new lead vocalist and has been performing since.
“Sour Girl” is the only song from Stone Temple Pilots to reach the Billboard Top 100, peaking at number 78. It was also nominated for best music video cinematography at MTV Video Music Awards in 2000.
During emotional turmoil, you can listen to this song on all streaming platforms.