# Best... I > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Best..._I > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Best..._I.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best..._I > Source revision: 1272191823 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Redirect|Best I|articles with similar titles|Best (disambiguation)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2019}} {{Infobox album | name = Best... I | type = greatest | artist = [the Smiths](/source/the_Smiths) | cover = UKBest1.jpg | alt = | released = August 17, 1992 | recorded = 1983–1987 | studio = | genre = [Alternative rock](/source/Alternative_rock), [indie pop](/source/indie_pop) | length = 45:09 | label = [WEA](/source/Warner_Music_Group) | producer = Various (see main text) | prev_title = [The Peel Sessions](/source/The_Peel_Sessions_(The_Smiths_EP)) | prev_year = 1988 | next_title = [...Best II](/source/...Best_II) | next_year = 1992 | misc = {{Extra album cover | header = Alternative cover | type = greatest | cover = USBest1.jpg | border = | alt = | caption = US cover of ''Best... I'' }} }} {{Music ratings | rev1 = [AllMusic](/source/AllMusic) | rev1score = {{Rating|2|5}} [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r76652|pure_url=yes}} link] | rev2 = ''[The Encyclopedia of Popular Music](/source/The_Encyclopedia_of_Popular_Music)'' | rev2score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite book|last=Larkin|first=Colin|author-link=Colin Larkin|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music|year=2007|publisher=[Oxford University Press](/source/Oxford_University_Press)|edition=4th|isbn=978-0195313734|title-link=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music}} | noprose = yes }} '''''Best... I''''' is a compilation album by [the Smiths](/source/the_Smiths). It was released in August 1992 by the new owner of their back catalogue, [WEA](/source/Warner_Music_Group) ([Sire Records](/source/Sire_Records) in the United States). It reached number one on the [UK Albums Chart](/source/UK_Albums_Chart); it reached No. 139 on the US [''Billboard'' 200](/source/Billboard_200). Warner UK used a photograph taken by actor [Dennis Hopper](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Rank_(album))'' 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](/source/Music_journalism) 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](/source/Single_(music)) and album cuts. It was followed later the same year by its sibling, ''[...Best II](/source/...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](/source/Motorcycle) couple photograph by [Dennis Hopper](/source/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](/source/Morrissey) and features [Richard Davalos](/source/Richard_Davalos), co-star of ''[East of Eden](/source/East_of_Eden_(film))''. ==Track listing== All tracks written by [Morrissey](/source/Morrissey) and [Johnny Marr](/source/Johnny_Marr). #"[This Charming Man](/source/This_Charming_Man)" (Single A-side) – 2:43 #"[William, It Was Really Nothing](/source/William%2C_It_Was_Really_Nothing)" (From ''[Hatful of Hollow](/source/Hatful_of_Hollow)'') – 2:09 #"[What Difference Does It Make?](/source/What_Difference_Does_It_Make%3F)" ''(album version)'' (From ''[The Smiths](/source/The_Smiths_(album))'') – 3:51 #"[Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before](/source/Stop_Me_If_You_Think_You've_Heard_This_One_Before)" (From ''[Strangeways, Here We Come](/source/Strangeways%2C_Here_We_Come)'') – 3:34 #"[Girlfriend in a Coma](/source/Girlfriend_in_a_Coma_(song))" (From ''Strangeways, Here We Come'') – 2:02 #"Half a Person" (From ''[The World Won't Listen](/source/The_World_Won't_Listen)'') – 3:36 #"Rubber Ring" (Single B-side of "[The Boy with the Thorn in His Side](/source/The_Boy_with_the_Thorn_in_His_Side)") – 3:48 #"[How Soon Is Now?](/source/How_Soon_Is_Now%3F)" ''(full version)'' (From ''Hatful of Hollow'') – 6:46 #"[Hand in Glove](/source/Hand_in_Glove)" ''(album version)'' (From ''The Smiths'') – 3:25 #"[Shoplifters of the World Unite](/source/Shoplifters_of_the_World_Unite)" (From ''The World Won't Listen'') – 2:58 #"[Sheila Take a Bow](/source/Sheila_Take_a_Bow)" (From ''[Louder Than Bombs](/source/Louder_Than_Bombs)'') – 2:42 #"[Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others](/source/Some_Girls_Are_Bigger_Than_Others)" (From ''[The Queen Is Dead](/source/The_Queen_Is_Dead)'') – 3:18 #"[Panic](/source/Panic_(The_Smiths_song))" (From ''The World Won't Listen'') – 2:20 #"[Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want](/source/Please%2C_Please%2C_Please%2C_Let_Me_Get_What_I_Want)" (From ''Hatful of Hollow'') – 1:54 ==Personnel== * [Morrissey](/source/Morrissey) – vocals * [Johnny Marr](/source/Johnny_Marr) – guitars, harmonica, [mandolin](/source/mandolin)s on "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want" * [Andy Rourke](/source/Andy_Rourke) – bass guitar * [Mike Joyce](/source/Mike_Joyce_(musician)) – drums * [Craig Gannon](/source/Craig_Gannon) – rhythm guitar on "Half a Person" and "Panic" ===Additional musicians=== * [John Porter](/source/John_Porter_(musician%2C_born_1947)) – [slide guitar](/source/slide_guitar) on "Sheila Take a Bow" * [Stephen Street](/source/Stephen_Street) – [synthesized](/source/Synthesizer) [string](/source/String_instrument) 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== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+1992 weekly chart performance for ''Best... I'' !scope="col"|Chart (1992) !scope="col"|Peak
position |- !scope="row"|Australian Albums ([ARIA](/source/ARIA_Charts)){{cite Ryan|page=257}} | style="text-align:center;"|64 |- {{album chart|Canada|36|chartid=1891|rowheader=true|access-date=5 August 2023}} |- {{album chart|Netherlands|74|artist=The Smiths|album=Best...I|rowheader=true|access-date=5 August 2023}} |- {{album chart|New Zealand|15|artist=The Smiths|album=Best...I|rowheader=true|access-date=5 August 2023}} |- {{album chart|Norway|35|artist=The Smiths|album=Best...I|rowheader=true|access-date=5 August 2023}} |- {{album chart|Sweden|45|artist=The Smiths|album=Best...I|rowheader=true|access-date=5 August 2023}} |- {{album chart|UK2|1|date=19920823|rowheader=true|access-date=5 August 2023}} |- {{album chart|Billboard200|139|artist=The Smiths|rowheader=true|access-date=5 August 2023}} |} {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+2000 weekly chart performance for ''Best... I'' !scope="col"|Chart (2000) !scope="col"|Peak
position |- {{album chart|Ireland2|52|artist=The Smiths|rowheader=true|access-date=5 August 2023}} |} {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+2014 weekly chart performance for ''Best... I'' !scope="col"|Chart (2014) !scope="col"|Peak
position |- {{album chart|Italy|97|artist=The Smiths|album=Best...I|rowheader=true|access-date=5 August 2023}} |} ==Certifications and sales== {{certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for ''Best... I''}} {{certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|award=Gold|type=album|title=Best... I|artist=The Smiths|relyear=1992|certyear=1992|id=791-175-2|access-date=5 August 2023}} {{certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|title=Best... I|artist=The Smiths|relyear=1992|nocert=yes|salesamount=432,907|salesref={{Cite web|url=https://www.morrissey-solo.com/article.pl?sid=08/03/05/1811210|title = Morrissey/Smiths US album sales in 2007 and total sales since 1992 - Morrissey-solo}}}} {{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}} ==References== {{Reflist}} {{The Smiths}} {{Authority control}} Category:The Smiths compilation albums Category:1992 greatest hits albums Category:Warner Music Group compilation albums Category:Albums produced by Stephen Street Category:Albums produced by John Porter (musician, born 1947) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Best... I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best..._I) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best..._I?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.