The Best That I Could Do 1978–1988

Infobox Album | Name = The Best That I Could Do 1978–1988
Type = greatest
Artist = John Mellencamp
Released = November 18, 1997


Recorded = 1977-1987, 1997
Genre = Rock
Length = 58:42
Label = Mercury Records
Producer = John Mellencamp
John Punter

Steve Cropper

Don Gehman
Mike Wanchic
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:rptxlf3ejcqu link]
Last album = "Mr. Happy Go Lucky"
(1996)
This album = "The Best That I Could Do 1978-1988"
(1997)
Next album = "John Mellencamp"
(1998)

Released after John Mellencamp signed with Columbia Records, "The Best That I Could Do 1978–1988" is Mellencamp's first hits album. 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."

Track listing

All songs written by John Mellencamp, except where noted.
# "I Need a Lover" — 5:37
#*(from "A Biography", 1978)
# "Ain't Even Done with the Night" — 4:38
#*(from "Nothin' Matters And What If It Did", 1980)
# "Hurts So Good" (Mellencamp/Green) — 3:39
#*(from "American Fool", 1982)
# "Jack and Diane" — 4:15
#*(from "American Fool", 1982)
# "Crumblin' Down" (Mellencamp/Green) — 3:35
#*(from "Uh-Huh", 1983)
# "Pink Houses" — 4:44
#*(from "Uh-Huh", 1983)
# "Authority Song" — 3:49
#*(from "Uh-Huh", 1983)
# "Lonely Ol' Night" — 3:45
#*(from "Scarecrow", 1985)
# "Small Town" — 3:40
#*(from "Scarecrow", 1985)
# "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A." — 2:55
#*(from "Scarecrow", 1985)
# "Paper In Fire" — 3:51
#*(from "The Lonesome Jubilee", 1987)
# "Cherry Bomb" — 4:49
#*(from "The Lonesome Jubilee", 1987)
# "Check It Out" — 4:20
#*(from "The Lonesome Jubilee", 1987)
# "Without Expression" (Terry Reid) — 5:05
#*(previously unreleased)

Personnel on "Without Expression"

*John Mellencamp — vocals, guitar
*Dane Clark — drums
*Toby Myers — bass, background vocals
*Miriam Sturm — violin
*Mike Wanchic — background vocals
*Andy York — guitars, background vocals
*Moe Z M.D. — keyboards, background vocals