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Best... I

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Best... I
Greatest hits album by
the Smiths
ReleasedAugust 17, 1992
Recorded1983–1987
GenreAlternative rock, indie pop
Length45:09
LabelWEA
ProducerVarious (see main text)
The Smiths chronology
Rank
(1988) 		Best... I
(1992) 		...Best II
(1992)
Alternative cover
US cover of Best... I
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic link
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[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.

Background

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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

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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

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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

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Additional musicians

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Production

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  • John Porter – producer (A1-A3, B1, B6-B7)
  • Johnny Marr, Morrissey and Street – producers (A4-A6, B4)
  • Morrissey and Marr – producers (A7, B5)
  • The Smiths – producers (B2)
  • Johnny Marr – producer (B3)

Charts

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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

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Certifications and sales for Best... I
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[12] Gold 100,000^
United States — 432,907[13]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  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".
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