The Best That I Could Do 1978–1988

The Best That I Could Do 1978–1988
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)		 The Best That I Could Do 1978–1988
(November 1997)		 John Mellencamp
(October 1998)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Robert Christgau[3]
Entertainment WeeklyB[4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[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. TitleOriginal 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. "Authority Song"  Uh-Huh 3:50
9. "Lonely Ol' Night"  Scarecrow 3:46
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


Note = Tracks 2 and 15 are on the Japanese version only

Personnel

Per liner notes[2]

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 2 3 4 Stephen Thomas Erlewine (2010). "The Best That I Could Do 1978-1988 - John Mellencamp". Allmuic Guide. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 The Best That I Could Do 1978–1988 (CD Liner). John Mellencamp. U.S.A.: Mercury Records. 1997. pp. 9–11. 314 536 738-2.
  3. 1 2 "CG: John Mellencamp". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
  4. 1 2 Wook Kim (1997-12-12). "The Best That I Could Do (1978-1988) Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
  5. 1 2 "John Mellencamp: Album Guide". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2012-11-06.
  6. ↑ White, Timothy (1997). "Who's To Say the Way a Man Should Spend His Days: The First Two Hundred Years of the John Mellencamp Story". The Best That I Could Do 1978–1988 (CD liner). John Mellencamp. U.S.A.: Mercury Records. p. 8. 314 536 738-2.
  7. 1 2 http://www.allmusic.com/artist/john-mellencamp-p105068/charts-awards/billboard-albums
  8. ↑ Steffen Hung. "John Mellencamp - The Best That I Could Do (1978-1988)". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
  9. ↑ http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.7899&type=2&interval=20&PHPSESSID=m89iq841abagb37ld9c0fdc1f3
  10. ↑ "John Mellencamp - The Best That I Could Do". Chart Stats. 1998-01-17. Archived from the original on 2012-07-22. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
  11. ↑ Steffen Hung. "John Mellencamp - The Best That I Could Do (1978-1988)". charts.org.nz. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
  12. 1 2 3 http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH Type in "Mellencamp" under Artist.
  13. ↑ "ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 1997 Albums". Aria.com.au. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
  14. ↑ "ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 1998 Albums". Aria.com.au. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
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