The Best That I Could Do 1978–1988

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 No. 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]

The Best That I Could Do 1978–1988
Greatest hits album by John Mellencamp
Released	November 18, 1997[1]
Recorded	1978–1997
Studio	Various 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, heartland 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 (1996) The Best That I Could Do 1978–1988 (1997) John Mellencamp (1998)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Robert Christgau	[3]
Entertainment Weekly	B[4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[5]

Reception

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic.com 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

Original release

All tracks are written by John Mellencamp, except where noted.

No.	Title	Original release	Length
1.	"I Need a Lover"	A Biography	5:38
2.	"Ain't Even Done with the Night"	Nothin' Matters and What If It Did	4:37
3.	"Hurts So Good" (Mellencamp, George Green)	American Fool	3:39
4.	"Jack and Diane"	American Fool	4:16
5.	"Crumblin' Down" (Mellencamp, Green)	Uh-Huh	3:36
6.	"Pink Houses"	Uh-Huh	4:45
7.	"Authority Song"	Uh-Huh	3:50
8.	"Lonely Ol' Night"	Scarecrow	3:46
9.	"Small Town"	Scarecrow	3:41
10.	"R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A."	Scarecrow	2:55
11.	"Paper in Fire"	The Lonesome Jubilee	3:53
12.	"Cherry Bomb"	The Lonesome Jubilee	4:49
13.	"Check It Out"	The Lonesome Jubilee	4:20
14.	"Without Expression" (Terry Reid, Graham Nash (uncredited))	Previously unreleased	5:06

Japanese edition

The version released in Japan features two additional songs ("Miami" and a cover of "Under the Boardwalk," tracks 2 and 15, respectively), and places "Lonely Ol' Night" before "Authority Song".

No.	Title	Original 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.	"Lonely Ol' Night"	Scarecrow	3:46
9.	"Authority Song"	Uh-Huh	3:50
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

Personnel

Adapted from the album's liner notes.[2]

• John Mellencamp (a.k.a. "Little Bastard" on some tracks) – vocals, guitar, songwriter, producer
• Larry Crane – guitars, harmonica, background vocals, flutophone
• Tom Knowles – drums on "I Need a Lover"
• Robert "Ferd" Frank – bass, background vocals on "I Need a Lover"
• Brian Bekvar – keyboards on "I Need a Lover"
• John Punter – producer, engineer on "I Need a Lover"
• Rick Shlosser – drums on "Ain't Even Done with the Night"
• Mike Wanchic – guitars, background vocals; producer on "Without Expression"
• Kenny Aronoff – vibes on "Ain't Even Done with the Night", drums, background vocals, hammer dulcimer
• Eric Rosser – keyboards
• Steve Cropper – producer on "Ain't Even Done with the Night"
• Bruce Robb – engineer on "Ain't Even Done with the Night"
• Dee Robb – engineer on "Ain't Even Done with the Night"
• George "Chocolate" Perry – bass on "Hurts So Good"
• Dave Parman – background vocals on "Hurts So Good"
• Don Gehman – producer/engineer on "Hurts So Good" thru "Check It Out"
• George Tutko – engineer on "Hurts So Good"
• Mick Ronson – guitar and background vocals on "Jack and Diane"
• Toby Myers – bass, background vocals
• Carroll Sue Hill – keyboards, background vocals
• Greg Edward – engineer
• David Thoener – engineer on "Pink Houses"
• Sarah Flint – background vocals on "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A."
• John Cascella – keyboards, accordion
• Lisa Germano – violin
• Pat Peterson – background vocals
• Crystal Taliefero – background vocals
• Dane Clark – drums on "Without Expression"
• Miriam Sturm – violin on "Without Expression"
• Andy York – guitars, background vocals on "Without Expression"
• Moe Z – keyboards, background vocals on "Without Expression"
• Corsillo/Manzobe-Design Monsters – art direction
• Paul Jasmin – photography

Charts

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. Stephen Thomas Erlewine (2010). "The Best That I Could Do 1978–1988 – John Mellencamp". Allmusic Guide. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
2. The Best That I Could Do 1978–1988 (CD Liner). John Mellencamp. US: Mercury Records. 1997. pp. 9–11. 314 536 738-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
3. "CG: John Mellencamp". Robert Christgau. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
4. Wook Kim (December 12, 1997). "The Best That I Could Do (1978–1988) Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
5. "John Mellencamp: Album Guide". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 6, 2012.
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. https://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 January 9, 2012.
9. "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada".
10. "John Mellencamp – The Best That I Could Do". Official Charts Company. January 17, 1998. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
11. Steffen Hung. "John Mellencamp – The Best That I Could Do (1978–1988)". charts.nz. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
12. https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH Type in "Mellencamp" under Artist.
13. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1997 Albums". Aria.com.au. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
14. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1998 Albums". Aria.com.au. Retrieved January 9, 2012.