1992 greatest hits album by the Smiths

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

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

• Morrissey – vocals
• Johnny Marr – guitars, harmonica, mandolins on "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want"
• Andy Rourke – bass guitar
• Mike Joyce – drums
• Craig Gannon – rhythm guitar on "Half a Person" and "Panic"

Additional musicians

• John Porter – slide guitar on "Sheila Take a Bow"
• Stephen Street – synthesized string arrangements on "Girlfriend in a Coma".

Production

• 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

1992 weekly chart performance for Best... I

2000 weekly chart performance for Best... I

2014 weekly chart performance for Best... I

Certifications and sales

Certifications and sales for Best... I