According to Song Facts, Scott Weiland wrote the lyrics to “Sour Girl” about his first wife, Janina Castaneda, and the regret that he felt after their relationship went awry. “She had finally rid her life of a man who had never been faithful,” he shared with fans in his 2011 memoir, “Not Dead & Not for Sale” (via Simon & Schuster). Despite the song’s melancholy origins, it’s surprisingly upbeat and charming. The production is mostly comprised of acoustic instrumentation and is delivered in a more organic, unfiltered fashion that isn’t entirely characteristic of STP’s other supercharged hits. It sounds almost playful in tone, showcasing a heavy topic with lighthearted ease that is unfiltered yet not overly simplistic.
“No. 4” went on to sell over a million copies worldwide and is, appropriately, Stone Temple Pilot’s fourth most successfully selling record in the band’s highly revered arsenal of music (via Best Selling Albums).
