The Best That I Could Do 1978–1988

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The Best That I Could Do 1978–1988
Best that i could do.JPG
Greatest hits album by John Mellencamp
Released November 18, 1997 (1997-11-18)[1]
Recorded 1978-1997 at AIR Studios (London, England), Cherokee Studios (Los Angeles, California), Criteria Studios (Miami, Florida), TRC Studios (Indianapolis, Indiana), The Shack (Brownstown, Indiana), Belmont Mall (Nashville, Indiana)[2]
Genre Rock
Length 58:51[1]
Label Mercury
Producer John Punter, Steve Cropper, John Mellencamp, Don Gehman, Mike Wanchic[2]
Compiler John Mellencamp
John Mellencamp chronology
Mr. Happy Go Lucky
(September 1996)Mr. Happy Go LuckyString Module Error: Match not found		 The Best That I Could Do 1978–1988
(November 1997)		 John Mellencamp
(October 1998)John MellencampString Module Error: Match not found
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 4.5/5 stars[1]
Robert Christgau (1-star Honorable Mention)[3]
Entertainment Weekly B[4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide 4/5 stars[5]

The Best That I Could Do 1978–1988 is the first greatest hits compilation album by American singer-songwriter John Mellencamp, released by Mercury Records in 1997 (see 1997 in music). It compiles Mellencamp's most popular material recorded during his first decade with Riva and Mercury Records, beginning with 1978's A Biography, up through 1987's The Lonesome Jubilee, with a new recording of Terry Reid's "Without Expression." Mellencamp picked the songs for the album and also came up with the title for the album.[6] The album reached #33 on the Billboard 200.[7] This album and Rough Harvest came about because, after leaving Mercury Records for Columbia Records, Mellencamp still owed the label two more albums.[5]

Reception

Stephen Thomas Erlewine said that the album's title was suitable and while it did not include all of Mellencamp's hits, it is a good summary of Mellencamp's "remarkably consistent" work.[1] Robert Christgau described it as the best of John Mellencamp, which to him is not saying much.[3] Entertainment Weekly gave the album a "B" rating, describing it as "uncomplicated but sophisticated."[4]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by John Mellencamp, except where noted. 

No. Title Original release Length
1. "I Need a Lover"   A Biography 5:38
2. "Ain't Even Done with the Night"   Nothin' Matters and What If It Did 4:37
3. "Hurts So Good" (Mellencamp, George Green) American Fool 3:39
4. "Jack and Diane"   American Fool 4:16
5. "Crumblin' Down" (Mellencamp, Green) Uh-Huh 3:36
6. "Pink Houses"   Uh-Huh 4:45
7. "Authority Song"   Uh-Huh 3:50
8. "Lonely Ol' Night"   Scarecrow 3:46
9. "Small Town"   Scarecrow 3:41
10. "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A."   Scarecrow 2:55
11. "Paper in Fire"   The Lonesome Jubilee 3:53
12. "Cherry Bomb"   The Lonesome Jubilee 4:49
13. "Check It Out"   The Lonesome Jubilee 4:20
14. "Without Expression" (Terry Reid, Graham Nash (uncredited)) Previously unreleased 5:06

Japanese Version

The version released in Japan features two additional songs ("Miami" and a cover of "Under the Boardwalk," tracks 2 and 15, respectively), and places "Lonely Ol' Night" before "Authority Song."

No. Title Original release Length
1. "I Need a Lover"   A Biography 5:38
2. "Miami"   John Cougar 3:53
3. "Ain't Even Done with the Night"   Nothin' Matters and What If It Did 4:37
4. "Hurts So Good" (Mellencamp, George Green) American Fool 3:39
5. "Jack and Diane"   American Fool 4:16
6. "Crumblin' Down" (Mellencamp, Green) Uh-Huh 3:36
7. "Pink Houses"   Uh-Huh 4:45
8. "Lonely Ol' Night"   Scarecrow 3:46
9. "Authority Song"   Uh-Huh 3:50
10. "Small Town"   Scarecrow 3:41
11. "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A."   Scarecrow 2:55
12. "Paper in Fire"   The Lonesome Jubilee 3:53
13. "Cherry Bomb"   The Lonesome Jubilee 4:49
14. "Check It Out"   The Lonesome Jubilee 4:20
15. "Under the Boardwalk" (Resnick, Kenny Young) "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A." B-Side 3:57
16. "Without Expression" (Terry Reid, Graham Nash (uncredited)) Previously unreleased 5:06

Personnel

Per liner notes[2]

  • John Mellencamp (a.k.a. "Little Bastard" on some tracks) – vocals, songwriter, producer
  • Larry Crane – guitars, harmonica, background vocals, flutophone
  • Tom Knowles – drums on "I Need a Lover"
  • Robert "Ferd" Frank – bass, background vocals on "I Need a Lover"
  • Brian Bekvar – keyboards on "I Need a Lover"
  • John Punter – producer, engineer on "I Need a Lover"
  • Rick Shlosser – drums on "Ain't Even Done with the Night"
  • Mike Wanchic – guitars, background vocals; producer on "Without Expression"
  • Kenny Aronoff – vibes on "Ain't Even Done with the Night", drums, background vocals, hammer dulcimer
  • Eric Rosser – keyboards
  • Steve Cropper – producer on "Ain't Even Done with the Night"
  • Bruce Robb – engineer on "Ain't Even Done with the Night"
  • Dee Robb – engineer on "Ain't Even Done with the Night"
  • George "Chocolate" Perry – bass on "Hurts So Good"
  • Dave Parman – background vocals on "Hurts So Good"
  • Don Gehman – producer/engineer on "Hurts So Good" thru "Check It Out"
  • George Tutko – engineer on "Hurts So Good"
  • Mick Ronson – guitar and background vocals on "Jack and Diane"
  • Toby Myers – bass, background vocals
  • Carroll Sue Hill – keyboards, background vocals
  • Greg Edward – engineer
  • David Thoener – engineer on "Pink Houses"
  • Sarah Flint – background vocals on "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A."
  • John Cascella – keyboards, accordion
  • Lisa Germano – violin
  • Pat Peterson – background vocals
  • Crystal Taliefero – background vocals
  • Dane Clark – drums on "Without Expression"
  • Miriam Sturm – violin on "Without Expression"
  • Andy York – guitars, background vocals on "Without Expression"
  • Moe Z – keyboards, background vocals on "Without Expression"
  • Corsillo/Manzobe-Design Monsters – art direction
  • Paul Jasmin – photography

Chart performance

Chart (1997) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[7] 33
Australia (Top 50 Albums)[8] 5
Canada RPM 100 Albums/CDs[9] 9
UK (Top 40)[10] 25
New Zealand (Top 50 Albums)[11] 19

Certifications

Organization Level Date
RIAA - US[12] Gold December 15, 1997
ARIA - Australia[13] Platinum 1997
RIAA - US[12] Platinum July 20, 1998
ARIA - Australia[14] 2x Multi-Platinum 1998
RIAA - US[12] 3x Platinum March 19, 2002

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 http://www.allmusic.com/artist/john-mellencamp-p105068/charts-awards/billboard-albums
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.7899&type=2&interval=20&PHPSESSID=m89iq841abagb37ld9c0fdc1f3
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH Type in "Mellencamp" under Artist.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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