Peak
78
Weeks
13
Score
533
Chart Year
2000
A music video was released to accompany this single and stars Sarah Michelle Gellar, who was a fan of the band, as the female lead. At the time the video was made, Gellar was a popular star thanks to her TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and her movies Cruel Intentions and I Know What You Did Last Summer. The video was directed by David Slade, whose later work includes episodes of Hannibal, and the movie The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. The video was nominated for Best Cinematography on MTV Video Music Awards in 2000.[
Scott Weiland wrote the lyric about his first wife, Janina Castaneda. They got married in 1994, just as Stone Temple Pilots were becoming one of the biggest bands in America. Weiland admitted that he put her through hell with his capricious behavior that stemmed from his addictions. When he wrote the song, the couple in the midst of a divorce, which was finalized in 2000. In this song, Weiland sings about how she will soon be free of him, "a happy girl the day that she left me." In his memoir, Weiland wrote, "She had finally rid her life of a man who had never been faithful." In the line, "I pay the ransom note to stop it from steaming," the ransom note is Weiland's divorce settlement, which he said "took forever and cost me a fortune." Sarah Michelle Gellar, who was a huge fan of the band, played the female lead in the video. At the time, Gellar was a rising star thanks to her TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and her movies Cruel Intentions and I Know What You Did Last Summer. The trippy video was directed by David Slade, whose work includes episodes of Hannibal and the movie The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. The clip features little people in costumes that look like the Teletubbies, which were big at the time. The band claimed this was a coincidence, and that the creatures are based on a dream Weiland had. Many listeners thought this song was about Scott Weiland's girlfriend at the time, Mary Forsberg, whom he would later marry. This was the most successful single from the group's fourth album, No. 4. With a soft, innocent sound, "Sour Girl" was a departure from the grunge style STP was known for. The album was released at a tumultuous time for the band: Scott Weiland had released a solo album the previous year, and his bandmates had formed an offshoot called Talk Show. Weiland was in the throes of addiction, and shortly before the album was released, he was sentenced to jail time for violating his parole (he was convicted of heroin possession the previous year). This killed plans for a tour and made it impossible to support the album, which suffered in sales as a result. After Jeff Gutt replaced the late Scott Weiland as Stone Temple vocalist, he felt there is one song that is "off limits" for him to sing out of respect for the band's original frontman. Speaking to Brad Copeland of Rock 100.5 The KATT's Rick & Brad Morning Show, Gutt said he had "a particular thing" about performing "Sour Girl" because it was written by Weiland as "a personal message."
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 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 What would you do? What would you do if I follow you? What would you do? I follow Don't turn away, what are you looking at? He was so happy on the day that he met her Say, what are you looking at? I was a superman but looks are deceiving The roller-coaster ride's a lonely one I pay a ransom note to stop it from steaming Hey, what are you looking at? She was a teenage girl when she met me What would you do? What would you do if I follow you? What would you do? I follow What would you do? (What would you do?) What would you do if I follow you? What would you do? I follow The girl got reasons They all got reasons What would you do? (What would you do?) What would you do if I follow you? What would you do? I follow What would you do? (What would you do?) What would you do if I follow you? What would you do? I follow Hey, what are you looking at? She was a happy girl the day that she left me The day that she left me, the day that she left me She was a happy girl the day that she left me The day that she left me, the day that she left me She was a sour girl the day that she left me
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jul 8, 2000 | 79 | 47 |
| 2 | Jul 15, 2000 | 79 | 47 |
| 3 | Jul 22, 2000 | 79 | 47 |
| 4 | Jul 29, 2000 | 78 | 48 |
| 5 | Aug 5, 2000 | 78 | 48 |
| 6 | Aug 12, 2000 | 87 | 39 |
| 7 | Aug 19, 2000 | 89 | 37 |
| 8 | Aug 26, 2000 | 88 | 38 |
| 9 | Sep 2, 2000 | 95 | 31 |
| 10 | Sep 9, 2000 | 93 | 33 |
| 11 | Sep 16, 2000 | 91 | 35 |
| 12 | Sep 23, 2000 | 94 | 32 |
| 13 | Sep 30, 2000 | 98 | 28 |