Best... I

Last updated

Best... I
UKBest1.jpg
Greatest hits album by
the Smiths
ReleasedAugust 17, 1992
Recorded1983–1987
Genre Alternative rock, indie pop
Length45:09
Label WEA
Producer Various (see main text)
The Smiths chronology
Rank
(1988)		Best... I
(1992)		 ...Best II
(1992)
Alternative cover
USBest1.jpg
US cover of Best... I
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg link
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]

Best... I is a compilation album by the Smiths. It was released in August 1992 by the new owner of their back catalogue, WEA (Sire Records in the United States). It reached number one on the UK Albums Chart; it reached No. 139 on the US Billboard 200. Warner UK used a photograph taken by actor Dennis Hopper titled "Biker Couple, 1961" (top photo) for the artwork of the two 1992 "best of" compilations by The Smiths.

Contents

Background

WEA (now the Warner Music Group) had acquired the entire Smiths back catalogue in early 1992. Along with the re-release of the eight original albums (the four studio albums, the Rank live album and the three compilation albums issued while the band were still active), they immediately set to work compiling a 'best of' collection in two volumes. It was the first time a regular best of compilation had ever been made of The Smiths' material and the album effortlessly reached the top of the British charts. The British press had doubts about sell-out and low track selection coherence.

The material is more or less picked and sequenced at random, and consists of both singles and album cuts. It was followed later the same year by its sibling, ...Best II . The first spin-off single, a re-release of "This Charming Man", reached No. 8 in the singles chart, the highest position a Smiths single had ever reached. A second single promoting Best... I, an edited re-release of "How Soon Is Now?", got to No. 16 (the uncut version is featured on the compilation).

Cover

The UK and European release of the record featured the left half of a biker couple photograph by Dennis Hopper from 1961 entitled 'Biker Couple' on its sleeve, with ...Best II completing the picture; the U.S. sleeve was designed by singer Morrissey and features Richard Davalos, co-star of East of Eden .

Track listing

All tracks written by Morrissey and Johnny Marr.

  1. "This Charming Man" (Single A-side) – 2:43
  2. "William, It Was Really Nothing" (From Hatful of Hollow ) – 2:09
  3. "What Difference Does It Make?" (album version) (From The Smiths ) – 3:51
  4. "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" (From Strangeways, Here We Come ) – 3:34
  5. "Girlfriend in a Coma" (From Strangeways, Here We Come) – 2:02
  6. "Half a Person" (From The World Won't Listen ) – 3:36
  7. "Rubber Ring" (Single B-side of "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side") – 3:48
  8. "How Soon Is Now?" (full version) (From Hatful of Hollow) – 6:46
  9. "Hand in Glove" (album version) (From The Smiths) – 3:25
  10. "Shoplifters of the World Unite" (From The World Won't Listen) – 2:58
  11. "Sheila Take a Bow" (From Louder Than Bombs ) – 2:42
  12. "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others" (From The Queen Is Dead ) – 3:18
  13. "Panic" (From The World Won't Listen) – 2:20
  14. "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want" (From Hatful of Hollow) – 1:54

Personnel

Additional musicians

Production

Charts

1992 weekly chart performance for Best... I
Chart (1992)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA) [2] 64
Canada Top Albums/CDs ( RPM ) [3] 36
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [4] 74
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [5] 15
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) [6] 35
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [7] 45
UK Albums (OCC) [8] 1
US Billboard 200 [9] 139
2000 weekly chart performance for Best... I
Chart (2000)Peak
position
Irish Albums (IRMA) [10] 52
2014 weekly chart performance for Best... I
Chart (2014)Peak
position
Italian Albums (FIMI) [11] 97

Certifications and sales

Certifications and sales for Best... I
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [12] Gold100,000^
United States—432,907 [13]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Smiths</span> English rock band

The Smiths were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982 and composed of singer Morrissey, guitarist Johnny Marr, bassist Andy Rourke, and drummer Mike Joyce. Morrissey and Marr formed the band's songwriting partnership. The Smiths are regarded as one of the most important acts to emerge from 1980s British independent music.

<i>The Queen Is Dead</i> 1986 studio album by the Smiths

The Queen Is Dead is the third studio album by the English rock band the Smiths. It was released on 16 June 1986 in the UK by Rough Trade Records, and on 23 June 1986 in the US by Sire Records.

<i>Strangeways, Here We Come</i> 1987 studio album by the Smiths

Strangeways, Here We Come is the fourth and final studio album by the English rock band the Smiths. It was released on 28 September 1987 by Rough Trade Records, several months after the group disbanded. All of the songs were composed by Johnny Marr, with lyrics written and sung by Morrissey.

<i>Hatful of Hollow</i> 1984 compilation album by the Smiths

Hatful of Hollow is a compilation album by English rock band the Smiths, released on 12 November 1984 by Rough Trade Records. The album features tracks from BBC Radio 1 sessions, their first single "Hand in Glove" and two new singles and their B-sides. It was eventually released in the United States on 9 November 1993 by Sire Records, who had initially declined to release the album in the US. Sire instead released Louder Than Bombs in the US in 1987—which is effectively a hybrid of Hatful of Hollow and a subsequent UK compilation album The World Won't Listen plus some tracks which do not appear on either.

<i>Rank</i> (album) 1988 live album by the Smiths

Rank is the only official live album by English band The Smiths. It was released a year after the band’s breakup, in September 1988, by their British record company Rough Trade, and reached No. 2 in the British charts. In the United States, the album was released on Sire Records and made No. 77.

<i>The World Wont Listen</i> 1987 compilation album by the Smiths

The World Won't Listen is a compilation album by English rock band the Smiths, released in the United Kingdom on 23 February 1987 by Rough Trade Records. The album is the second of three compilation albums—the others being Hatful of Hollow and Louder Than Bombs—released by the Smiths while they were still an active band. It reached No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart, staying on the charts for 15 weeks. In the United States Louder Than Bombs was released in place of The World Won't Listen.

<i>Louder Than Bombs</i> 1987 compilation album by the Smiths

Louder Than Bombs is a compilation album by English rock band the Smiths, released as a double album in March 1987 by their American record company, Sire Records. It peaked at number 62 on the US Billboard 200 album chart. Popular demand prompted their British record company, Rough Trade, to issue the album domestically as well. Upon its release in the UK in May 1987, it reached No. 38 on the British charts. In 2003, the album was ranked No. 365 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, and ranked No. 369 on a 2012 revised list. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA in 1990.

<i>...Best II</i> 1992 greatest hits album by the Smiths

...Best II is a compilation album by the Smiths. It was released on November 2, 1992, by the new owner of their back catalogue, WEA. Its highest British chart position was #29; it did not chart in the U.S.

<i>Singles</i> (The Smiths album) 1995 greatest hits album by the Smiths

Singles is the seventh compilation album by the English rock band the Smiths, pitched as a compilation of previously issued singles. It was released in February 1995 by the new owner of their back catalogue, WEA. Its highest British chart position was #5; it did not chart in the United States. Blender magazine listed the album among the "500 CDs You Must Own" on their website.

<i>The Very Best of The Smiths</i> 2001 greatest hits album by The Smiths

The Very Best of The Smiths is a compilation album by English rock band The Smiths. It was released in June 2001 by WEA in Europe, without consent or input from the band. It reached number 30 on the UK Albums Chart. The album was not released in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now</span> 1984 song by the Smiths

"Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" is a song by English rock band the Smiths. Released as a single in May 1984, it reached No. 10 on the UK Singles Chart, making it the band's first top ten single. It was later included on the November 1984 compilation album Hatful of Hollow and the March 1987 compilation album Louder Than Bombs. The song is listed as one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Charming Man</span> 1983 single by The Smiths

"This Charming Man" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths, written by guitarist Johnny Marr and singer Morrissey. Released as the group's second single in October 1983 on the independent record label Rough Trade, it is defined by Marr's jangle pop guitar riff and Morrissey's characteristically morose lyrics, which revolve around the recurrent Smiths themes of sexual ambiguity and lust. A different version, from the John Peel Show on BBC Radio 1, was included on the compilation album Hatful of Hollow in 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Girlfriend in a Coma (song)</span> 1987 single by The Smiths

"Girlfriend in a Coma" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths, written by singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr. It was the first of three UK singles from the band's fourth and final studio album, Strangeways, Here We Come. Inspired by the song "To Be Young, Gifted and Black", "Girlfriend in a Coma" features a lilting acoustic guitar line performed by Marr and lyrics about a hospital-bound lover sung by Morrissey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Started Something I Couldn't Finish</span> 1987 single by The Smiths

"I Started Something I Couldn't Finish" is a song by the English rock band The Smiths, written by singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr and released on the group's 1987 album Strangeways, Here We Come. Featuring a glam rock-inspired guitar riff, the song emerged from a jam during the "Sheila Take a Bow" sessions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me</span> 1987 single by the Smiths

"Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths, written by singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr. It appears as the sixth track on the band's final album Strangeways, Here We Come (1987). It features a backdrop of crowd noises from the miners' strike of 1984–85, the song is a favourite of both Morrissey and Marr.

"Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths. It was released on the B-side of the single "William, It Was Really Nothing" in 1984 and later featured on the compilation albums Hatful of Hollow and Louder Than Bombs. It has been covered by several other artists. The song was also included on the soundtrack album of the 1986 film Pretty in Pink and featured in the film Never Been Kissed.

<i>The Sound of The Smiths</i> 2008 compilation album by the Smiths

The Sound of The Smiths is a Smiths compilation released on 10 November 2008. It is available as both single and double disc editions. Morrissey is credited with having coined the compilation's title, while Johnny Marr was involved in the project's mastering. Early promotional material for the album originally saw it titled Hang the DJ: The Very Best of the Smiths, but this was changed for the final release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Smiths discography</span>

The English alternative rock band the Smiths released four studio albums, one live album, 10 compilation albums, three extended plays (EPs), 24 singles, one video album and 13 music videos on the Rough Trade, Sire and WEA record labels. The band was formed in 1982 in Manchester by vocalist Morrissey, guitarist Johnny Marr, bass player Andy Rourke and drummer Mike Joyce.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">How Soon Is Now?</span> 1985 song by the Smiths

"How Soon Is Now?" is a song by English rock band the Smiths, written by singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr. Originally a B-side of the 1984 single "William, It Was Really Nothing", "How Soon Is Now?" was subsequently featured on the compilation album Hatful of Hollow and on US, Canadian, Australian, and Warner UK editions of Meat Is Murder. Belatedly released as a single in the UK in 1985, it reached No. 24 on the UK Singles Chart. When re-released in 1992, it reached No. 16.

<i>Complete</i> (The Smiths album) 2011 box set by The Smiths

Complete is a box set compilation by English rock band the Smiths, released by Rhino Records in the UK on 26 September 2011. The standard CD and LP versions contain the band's four studio albums The Smiths, Meat Is Murder, The Queen Is Dead and Strangeways, Here We Come, their only live album Rank and the three compilation albums released while the band were still active–Hatful of Hollow, The World Won't Listen and Louder Than Bombs–on eight CDs or eight LPs. A deluxe version contains those eight albums on both CD and LP formats, as well as 25 seven-inch vinyl singles and a DVD.

References

  1. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0195313734.
  2. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 257.
  3. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 1891". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  4. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – The Smiths – Best...I" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  5. ↑ "Charts.nz – The Smiths – Best...I". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  6. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – The Smiths – Best...I". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  7. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – The Smiths – Best...I". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  8. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  9. ↑ "The Smiths Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  10. ↑ "Irish-charts.com – Discography The Smiths". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  11. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – The Smiths – Best...I". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  12. ↑ "British album certifications – The Smiths – Best... I". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Morrissey/Smiths US album sales in 2007 and total sales since 1992 - Morrissey-solo".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.