Vasoline

"Vasoline" is a song by American rock band Stone Temple Pilots from their second album, Purple. The song was the second single of the album, reaching number one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart for two weeks.[2] The song's odd-sounding intro was created by Robert DeLeo, who ran his bass through a wah-wah pedal to get the said effect. The song's lyrics were written by vocalist Scott Weiland. "Vasoline" also appears on the greatest hits compilation album Thank You. A live version also appears on The Family Values 2001 Tour compilation.

This article is about the song by Stone Temple Pilots. For the skin care product, see Vaseline.
"Vasoline"
Single by Stone Temple Pilots
from the album Purple
B-side
  • "Meatplow"
  • "Andy Warhol" (live from MTV Unplugged)
  • "Crackerman" (live from MTV Unplugged)"
ReleasedJune 1, 1994
Recorded1994
GenreGrunge[1]
Length2:56
LabelAtlantic
Composer(s)
Lyricist(s)Scott Weiland
Producer(s)Brendan O'Brien
Stone Temple Pilots singles chronology
"Big Empty"
(1994)		 "Vasoline"
(1994)		 "Interstate Love Song"
(1994)
Audio sample
"Vasoline"
  • file
  • help
Music video
"Vasoline" on YouTube

Composition and meaning

During STP's performance of "Vasoline" on VH1 Storytellers, Weiland says that the song is about "feeling like an insect under a magnifying glass." During an interview with Greg Prato from SongFacts.com on October 14, 2014, Scott Weiland confirmed that the key line in this song came from a misheard lyric: His parents put on the Eagles song "Life in the Fast Lane", and Weiland thought they were singing, "Flies in the Vasoline."[3]

In his autobiography Not Dead and Not For Sale, he adds that it "is about being stuck in the same situation over and over again. It's about me becoming a junkie. It's about lying to Jannina [Castaneda, first wife] and lying to the band about my heroin addiction."[4]

The over-the-counter balm after which the song appears to be named is spelled Vaseline. Alternatively, it is believed that the name is a portmanteau of "Vaseline" and "Gasoline", which may be an allusion to a chemical mixture that is popularly known to be the composition of a flammable compound similar to, if not that of, Napalm.

Music videos

The music videos (directed by Kevin Kerslake) were in heavy rotation on MTV when the single was released in 1994.[5] There are at least three different versions of the video, labeled "X Version", "Y Version", and "Z Version". All versions are similar, using parts of the same footage with some minor differences and shown in different orders. The single album art is taken directly from the music video. One portion of the "X Version" was censored when it aired on MTV. During the table scene, a man is bound to a chair while a sadistic guard prepares to puncture his eye with a drill. The uncensored version can be seen on Kerslake's YouTube channel, while the censored version is found on the band's YouTube page.

Differentiation
  • X Version – begins with a shot of flypaper and then a laughing clown [Robert DeLeo]
  • Y Version – begins with a butterfly-catching girl [Deanna Stevens] skipping up to the camera
  • Z Version – begins with a man using a sharpening stone wheel

Track listings

UK, European, and Australian CD single[6]

  1. "Vasoline" – 2:56
  2. "Meatplow" – 3:38
  3. "Andy Warhol" (David Bowie cover live) – 3:05
  4. "Crackerman" (live) – 4:03

German CD single[7]

  1. "Vasoline" – 2:56
  2. "Meatplow" – 3:38

Charts
Chart (1994–1995) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[8] 24
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[9] 21
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[10] 28
Scotland (OCC)[11] 42
UK Singles (OCC)[12] 48
UK Rock and Metal (OCC)[13] 23
US Radio Songs (Billboard)[14] 38
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[15] 2
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[16] 1

Notable appearances

References
  1. Michael Danaher (August 4, 2014). "The 50 Best Grunge Songs". Paste.
  2. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications), page 607.
  3. "Scott Weiland : Songwriter Interviews". www.songfacts.com. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
  4. Not Dead and Not For Sale (Scribner, 2010), pp111
  5. "Site Maintenance". www.mvdbase.com. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
  6. Vasoline (UK, European & Australian CD single liner notes). Stone Temple Pilots. Atlantic Records. 1994. A5650CD, 7567-85650-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
  7. Vasoline (German CD single liner notes). Stone Temple Pilots. Atlantic Records. 1994. 7567-85646-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
  8. "Australian-charts.com – Stone Temple Pilots – Vasoline". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  9. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2564." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  10. "Charts.nz – Stone Temple Pilots – Vasoline". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  11. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  12. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  13. "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  14. "Stone Temple Pilots Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  15. "Stone Temple Pilots Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  16. "Stone Temple Pilots Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
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