Friday Song: “Plush”
A 1993 hit continues to get airplay, and two great versions merit a listen
With a chord structure inspired by ragtime music, Stone Temple Pilots’ 1993 hit “Plush” tells the story of either a missing woman or a failed relationship. It all depends on interpretation.
Like a few other STP songs, the title never appears in the lyrics.
The version of the song that charted in the US was an acoustic version recorded at MTV Studios on December 5, 1992. The band had finished a month of concerts opening for Rage Against the Machine, took a plane to New York, and took some pills to help them sleep. When they got to their hotel, guitarist Dean DeLeo and singer Scott Weiland both got sick. They made it to the MTV Studios for the 6 a.m. taping, as Weiland recalled, “high as zombies.”
In this altered state, DeLeo and Weiland performed the song, delivering a relaxed and poignant version, unlike the hard-driving version on the album. It turned out to be radio-friendly, and stations started playing it, generating interest in the band — although listeners who bought the album (Core) expecting similarly mellow fare might have had an unpleasant surprise.
The song was one of the first alternative rock songs to reach the #1 spot on the Album Rock Tracks chart during the height of the alternative rock/grunge scene. “Plush” won a Grammy in the category of “Best Hard Rock Performance” at the 1994 awards ceremony. The music video also earned the band an MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist in 1993. “Plush” remains one of the biggest rock hits of the 1990s. You’ll still hear it on radio stations.
The acoustic and studio versions are both presented below.
Enjoy!