"Interstate Love Song" is a song by rock band Stone Temple Pilots, from the band's second album Purple, released in 1994. Although many fans disagree upon the meaning of the song, Scott Weiland claims it was about lying to his girlfriend while on the road, saying he was clean.
The song, considered to be one of the band's biggest hits, hit #1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in the September 17, 1994 issue Billboard. The song it replaced at #1 was "Vasoline", also by Stone Temple Pilots. The song stayed at #1 for 15 weeks, a record at the time.
The song features a memorable opening guitar riff, containing a sound very reminiscent of the alternative music scene of the time. The riff was created by Robert DeLeo while riding in the back of a U-Haul truck the band used for touring. It also has a notably country-western or Southern rock feel to it, reflective of the "leaving on a southern train" lyrics. It is therefore unique in the Stone Temple Pilots catalogue. The song also includes a riff from Jim Croce's song, "I Got A Name."
The music video, directed by Kevin Kerslake, has a washed-out color effect throughout the majority of the video and features a long-nosed protagonist escaping from an unseen pursuer.
"Interstate Love Song" is available as a downloadable track for the music video game Rock Band. Velvet Revolver are also known to cover this song.
