The Best of Both Worlds (Van Halen album)

Infobox Album | Name = The Best of Both Worlds
Type = Greatest hits
Artist = Van Halen


Released = start date|2004|7|20
Recorded = 1977-1995, 2004
Genre = Hard rock
Length = 2:36:38
Label = Warner
Producer = Van Halen
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:5luf6jo37190 link]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|3.5|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/vanhalen/albums/album/6308792/review/6438509/the_best_of_both_worlds link]
Last album = "Van Halen III"
(1998)
This album = "The Best of Both Worlds"
(2004)
Next album =

"The Best of Both Worlds" is a greatest hits album by American hard rock band Van Halen, released in 2004. The title "The Best of Both Worlds" references both their song of the same name, and the fact that the album has the greatest songs from their two main vocalists David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar. The album featured three brand new songs from the band with Hagar on vocals, but Eddie Van Halen took over the bass work typically done by Michael Anthony. It featured no songs from the band's last studio album, "Van Halen III", which featured Gary Cherone on vocals.

The album features 16 songs from David Lee Roth era (1978-1985), 17 from Sammy Hagar era (1986-1995), plus the three new Hagar songs. David Lee Roth was vocalist for the first six albums, Sammy Hagar for the following four. The band's success was greater earlier, with combined US sales of 38 million for Roth-era albums, while US sales for Hagar-era albums total 16 million. The album was released in promotion of the new reunion tour.

Track listing

Disc 1

#"Eruption" (Eddie Van Halen) – 1:43 (from "Van Halen")
#"It's About Time" (Sammy Hagar, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 4:15 (new song)†
#"Up for Breakfast" (Hagar, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 4:57 (new song)†
#"Learning to See" (Hagar, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 5:15 (new song)
#"Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" (Anthony, Roth, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 3:48 (from "Van Halen")
#"Finish What Ya Started" (Anthony, Hagar, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 4:24 (from "OU812")
#"You Really Got Me" (Ray Davies) – 2:38 (from "Van Halen")
#"Dreams" (Anthony, Hagar, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 4:53 (from "5150")
#"Hot for Teacher" (Anthony, Roth, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 4:43 (from "1984")
#"Poundcake" (Anthony, Hagar, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 5:20 (from "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge")
#"And the Cradle Will Rock..." (Anthony, Roth, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 3:34 (from "Women and Children First")
#"Black and Blue" (Anthony, Hagar, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 5:27 (from "OU812")
#"Jump" (Anthony, Roth, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 4:04 (from "1984")
#"Top of the World" (Anthony, Hagar, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 3:54 (from "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge")
#"(Oh) Pretty Woman" (William Dees, Roy Orbison) – 2:53 (from "Diver Down")
#"Love Walks In" (Anthony, Hagar, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 5:11 (from "5150")
#"Beautiful Girls" (Anthony, Roth, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 3:57 (from "Van Halen II")
#"Can't Stop Lovin' You" (Anthony, Hagar, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 4:08 (from "Balance")
#"Unchained" (Anthony, Roth, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 3:29 (from "Fair Warning")

Disc 2

#"Panama" (Anthony, Roth, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 3:32 (from "1984")
#"Best of Both Worlds" (Anthony, Hagar, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 4:49 (from "5150")
#"Jamie's Cryin'" (Anthony, Roth, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 3:30 (from "Van Halen")
#"Runaround" (Anthony, Hagar, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 4:20 (from "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge")
#"I'll Wait" (Anthony, Michael McDonald, Roth, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 4:42 (from "1984")
#"Why Can't This Be Love" (Anthony, Hagar, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 3:48 (from "5150")
#"Runnin' With the Devil" (Anthony, Roth, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 3:36 (from "Van Halen")
#"When It's Love" (Anthony, Hagar, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 5:38 (from "OU812")
#"Dancing in the Street" (Marvin Gaye, Ivy Hunter, William Stevenson) – 3:45 (from "Diver Down")
#"Strung Out/Not Enough" (Anthony, Hagar, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 6:48 (from "Balance")
#"Feels So Good" (Anthony, Hagar, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 4:32 (from "OU812")
#"Right Now" (Anthony, Hagar, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 5:22 (from "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge")
#"Everybody Wants Some!!" (Anthony, Roth, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 5:10 (from "Women and Children First")
#"Dance the Night Away" (Anthony, Roth, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 3:10 (from "Van Halen II")
#"Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" [live] (Anthony, Roth, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 4:43 (from "")
#"Panama" [live] (Anthony, Roth, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 6:39 (from "")
#"Jump" [live] (Anthony, Roth, Van Halen, Van Halen) – 4:20 (from "")

† denotes a single

Track division by album

David Lee Roth era (1978-1984, 1996)

* 5 songs from "Van Halen" (1978)
* 2 songs from "Van Halen II" (1979)
* 2 songs from "Women and Children First" (1980)
* 1 song from "Fair Warning" (1981)
* 2 songs from "Diver Down" (1982)
* 4 songs from "1984" (1984)
* TOTAL: 16

Sammy Hagar era (1985-1996, 2004)

* 4 songs from "5150" (1986)
* 4 songs from "OU812" (1988)
* 4 songs from "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" (1991)
* 3 live songs from "Live: Right Here, Right Now" (1993)
* 2 songs from "Balance" (1995)
* 3 new songs (2004)
* TOTAL: 20

Personnel

*David Lee Roth - lead vocals, background vocals
*Sammy Hagar - lead vocals, rhythm and lead guitar, background vocals
*Eddie Van Halen - lead and rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboards, background vocals
*Michael Anthony - bass guitar, background vocals
*Alex Van Halen - drums, percussion

Personnel (new songs)

* Sammy Hagar - lead vocals, background vocals, rhythm guitars
* Eddie Van Halen - lead and rhythm guitars, background vocals, bass guitar, keyboards
* Alex Van Halen - drums, percussion, background vocals
* Steve Lukather - background vocals

Production

*Compilation producer: Van Halen
*Engineer: Bill Malina (on new songs)
*Product Manager: Kenny Nemes
*Project assistants: Hugh Brown, Tom Consolo, Malia Doss, Jimmy Edwards, Alan Fletcher, Kevin Gore, Bill Inglot, Joanne Jaworowski, Anna Loynes, Mark McKenna, David McLees, Scott Pascucci
*Mastering Supervisor: Glen Ballard
*Remastering: Stephen Marcussen
*Editorial supervision: Cory Frye
*Art direction: Sara Cumings, Jeri Heiden
*Design: Sara Cumings, Jeri Heiden
*Photography: Kevin Westenberg
*Liner notes: David Wild
*Discographical annotation: Steve Woolard

Charts

Album

Billboard (North America)

ingles

Billboard (North America)