Plush (song)
Encyclopedia
"Plush" is a song by American rock
band Stone Temple Pilots
. It is one of the band's biggest hits, and was released as the second single from the band's debut studio album, Core
(see 1992 in music
).
music, and its lyrics were loosely based on a newspaper article Weiland had read about a girl who had been found dead in an area outside of San Diego. Weiland has also said that the song's lyrics are a metaphor for a failed relationship.
. "Plush" won in the category of "Best Hard Rock Performance
" at the 1994 Grammy Awards
. The music video also earned the band an MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist
in 1994. "Plush" remains one of the biggest rock hits of the 1990s, and is still commonly heard on radio stations today. In 2004, this song was featured in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
soundtrack on Radio X. The song also appeared as a playable song in 2010 music video game Rock Band 3
.
, directed by Josh Taft
, was released in 1993 and had heavy rotation on MTV
. It combines a visual interpretation of the song's lyrics with footage of a red-haired Weiland singing with the band as a lounge act in an empty bar. There are two different versions of this video, with minor but very noticeable differences. For example, in the version that appears on the Thank You
Bonus DVD, the last shot of the video is a woman looking at a mirror image of herself and viewing her whole body while the mirror image drifts away. In another version, she's looking at a mirror image of her face, with water (possibly rain) dripping down the reflection of the mirror.
performed an impromptu acoustic version of "Plush" on the VH1
show Headbangers Ball
that was also very popular. It was originally only available on a CD single from the United Kingdom for their single, "Creep
", but is now featured on the band's "greatest hits" compilation, Thank You
, along with the original electric version.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots is an American rock band from San Diego, California that consists of Scott Weiland , brothers Robert DeLeo and Dean DeLeo , and Eric Kretz ....
. It is one of the band's biggest hits, and was released as the second single from the band's debut studio album, Core
Core (Stone Temple Pilots album)
The album was released on September 29, 1992 on Atlantic, the same day Alice in Chains released Dirt, another important album of the grunge era. Despite high sales, the album received mixed to negative reviews. Critics blasted the band as "rip-offs" of grunge bands such as Pearl Jam and Alice in...
(see 1992 in music
1992 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1992.-January–February:*January 11**Nirvana's Nevermind album goes to #1 in the US Billboard 200 chart, establishing the widespread popularity of the Grunge movement of the 1990s....
).
Composition and inspiration
The song's chord structure was inspired by Robert DeLeo's love of ragtimeRagtime
Ragtime is an original musical genre which enjoyed its peak popularity between 1897 and 1918. Its main characteristic trait is its syncopated, or "ragged," rhythm. It began as dance music in the red-light districts of American cities such as St. Louis and New Orleans years before being published...
music, and its lyrics were loosely based on a newspaper article Weiland had read about a girl who had been found dead in an area outside of San Diego. Weiland has also said that the song's lyrics are a metaphor for a failed relationship.
Reception
The song was released in 1993 as Cores second single and became a major rock radio hit in the U.S., peaking at #1 on the Album Rock Tracks and #9 on the Modern Rock TracksModern Rock Tracks
Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs...
. "Plush" won in the category of "Best Hard Rock Performance
Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance was an award presented to recording artists at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, for works containing quality performances in the hard rock music genre...
" at the 1994 Grammy Awards
Grammy Awards of 1994
The 36th Grammy Awards were held in 1994. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Whitney Houston is the Big Winner winning 3 awards including Record of the Year and Album of the Year.-Award winners:*Record of the Year...
. The music video also earned the band an MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist
MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist
The MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist is one of the four original general categories that have been given out since the first annual MTV Video Music Awards in 1984...
in 1994. "Plush" remains one of the biggest rock hits of the 1990s, and is still commonly heard on radio stations today. In 2004, this song was featured in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
soundtrack on Radio X. The song also appeared as a playable song in 2010 music video game Rock Band 3
Rock Band 3
Rock Band 3 is a music video game, developed by Harmonix Music Systems. The game was initially published and distributed by MTV Games and Electronic Arts, respectively, with Mad Catz taking over both roles a year later. It is the third main game in the Rock Band series...
.
Music video
The award-winning music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
, directed by Josh Taft
Josh Taft
Josh Taft is an American music video director. He has directed music videos for Stone Temple Pilots , Nas , A Tribe Called Quest , Cypress Hill , Mother Love Bone , and Pearl Jam ,...
, was released in 1993 and had heavy rotation on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. It combines a visual interpretation of the song's lyrics with footage of a red-haired Weiland singing with the band as a lounge act in an empty bar. There are two different versions of this video, with minor but very noticeable differences. For example, in the version that appears on the Thank You
Thank You (Stone Temple Pilots album)
-Charts:Album - Billboard Singles - Billboard -References:...
Bonus DVD, the last shot of the video is a woman looking at a mirror image of herself and viewing her whole body while the mirror image drifts away. In another version, she's looking at a mirror image of her face, with water (possibly rain) dripping down the reflection of the mirror.
Acoustic version
Weiland and Stone Temple Pilots guitarist Dean DeLeoDean DeLeo
Dean DeLeo is an American guitarist for the rock band Stone Temple Pilots.He is also known for his role in the short-lived bands Talk Show and Army of Anyone, which featured his younger brother Robert DeLeo, Filter frontman Richard Patrick, and session drummer Ray Luzier...
performed an impromptu acoustic version of "Plush" on the VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
show Headbangers Ball
Headbangers Ball
Headbangers Ball is a music television program consisting of heavy metal music videos airing on MTV2, MTV Australia, MTV Two , MTV Adria , MTV Brand New, MTV Portugal, MTV Finland, MTV Arabia, MTV Norway, MTV Sweden, MTV Denmark, MTV Greece, MTV Türkiye, MTV...
that was also very popular. It was originally only available on a CD single from the United Kingdom for their single, "Creep
Creep (Stone Temple Pilots song)
"Creep" is a song by American rock band Stone Temple Pilots, appearing as the seventh track off the band's debut album, Core and later released as a single...
", but is now featured on the band's "greatest hits" compilation, Thank You
Thank You (Stone Temple Pilots album)
-Charts:Album - Billboard Singles - Billboard -References:...
, along with the original electric version.
Track listing
- "Plush" [Edit] - 4:19
- "Sin" - 6:05
- "Sex Type Thing (Swing Type Version)" - 4:20
- "Sex Type Thing (Live on the Word)" - 3:32
Charts
| Chart (1993) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks Modern Rock Tracks Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs... |
9 |
| U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks Mainstream Rock Tracks Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream | 18 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
23 |
| Canadian RPM RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
21 |
Covers
- MLB pitcher Bronson ArroyoBronson ArroyoBronson Anthony Arroyo , is a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds and an aspiring musician. He has previously played for the Pittsburgh Pirates between 2000 and 2002 and Boston Red Sox from 2003 to 2005...
covered the song on his debut album Covering the BasesCovering the BasesCovering the Bases is the debut album by Major League Baseball pitcher Bronson Arroyo. It was released in 2005 following the Boston Red Sox 2004 World Series Championship, which Arroyo was a part of; he currently plays for the Cincinnati Reds...
. - Retired MLB player Jeff ConineJeff ConineJeffrey Guy Conine is a former Major League Baseball first baseman/outfielder who played several years with the Florida Marlins. Previously, Conine played with the Kansas City Royals , Florida Marlins , Baltimore Orioles , Philadelphia Phillies , Cincinnati Reds , and New York Mets . He batted and...
also covered the song in 2005 on the album Oh Say Can You Sing?. - Aaron LewisAaron LewisAaron Lewis, , is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and founding member of the rock group Staind, with whom he has released seven studio albums. He has since ventured into country music with his debut solo album, Town Line...
of StaindStaindStaind is an American rock band that was formed in 1995 in Springfield, Massachusetts. For 16 years, the band consisted of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist Johnny April, and drummer Jon Wysocki...
has covered an acoustic version of the song. - Toby RandToby RandToby William Lloyd Rand is an Australian singer best known for being lead singer of Rock band, Juke Kartel and his appearance on Rock Star: Supernova. He is the lead vocalist for Melbourne rock band Juke Kartel....
and Magni both sang this song on Rock Star: Supernova. - Keller WilliamsKeller WilliamsKeller Williams is an American musician from Fredericksburg, Virginia, who began performing in the early 1990s. He is also known by the names K-Dub or just Keller, when performing. Williams' music combines elements of bluegrass, folk, alternative rock, reggae, electronica/dance, jazz, funk, and...
has covered the song during live performances.