The Best of Both Worlds (Van Halen album)

The Best of Both Worlds
Greatest hits album by Van Halen
Released July 20, 2004
Recorded 1977–1994, 2004
Genre Hard rock, heavy metal
Length 156:38
Label Warner Bros.
Producer Van Halen
Van Halen chronology
Van Halen III
(1998)Van Halen III1998
The Best of Both Worlds
(2004)
A Different Kind of Truth
(2012)A Different Kind of Truth2012
Singles from The Best of Both Worlds
  1. "It's About Time"
    Released: 2004
  2. "Up For Breakfast"
    Released: 2004
  3. "Learning To See"
    Released: 2004
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Entertainment WeeklyB[2]
Rolling Stone[3]

The Best of Both Worlds is the second greatest hits album by American hard rock band Van Halen, released on July 20, 2004 on Warner Bros. The compilation features material recorded with lead vocalists David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar, but omitting Gary Cherone's three-year tenure with the band. Prior to The Best of Both Worlds' release, Hagar reunited with Van Halen, and the band subsequently recorded three new tracks to include on the release.

Debuting at #3 in the US,[4] the album was subsequently followed by a reunion tour, and certified Platinum. It is the last Van Halen album overall to feature contributions from Michael Anthony and Hagar.

Background

The compilation features 16 tracks taken from the six David Lee Roth era albums (1978–1984), and 14 from the four Sammy Hagar era albums (1986–1995), plus three live songs with Hagar from Live: Right Here, Right Now (1993), and three new songs with Hagar made for the compilation. The album was released in promotion of the new reunion tour featuring Hagar returning as lead singer. The three new songs were also performed live at various times.

Michael Anthony did not play bass guitar for the three new songs, although he did provide backing vocals for them. Anthony was not an official band member at that point and the songs were already recorded before he rejoined. The bass guitar on the new songs was played by Eddie Van Halen.[5]

According to Anthony, the original plans involved one disc dedicated to Roth and another to Hagar which would feature the three new songs, but problems while negotiating with Roth led to the track listing on the released album.[5]

Track listing

Disc one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Eruption" (from Van Halen, 1978)Michael Anthony, David Lee Roth, Alex Van Halen, Eddie Van Halen1:43
2."It's About Time"Sammy Hagar, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen4:15
3."Up for Breakfast"Hagar, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen4:57
4."Learning to See"Hagar, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen5:15
5."Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love" (from Van Halen)Anthony, Roth, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen3:48
6."Finish What Ya Started" (from OU812, 1988)Anthony, Hagar, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen4:24
7."You Really Got Me" (from Van Halen)Ray Davies2:38
8."Dreams" (from 5150, 1986)Anthony, Hagar, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen4:53
9."Hot for Teacher" (from 1984, 1984)Anthony, Roth, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen4:43
10."Poundcake" (from For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, 1991)Anthony, Hagar, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen5:20
11."And the Cradle Will Rock..." (from Women and Children First, 1980)Anthony, Roth, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen3:34
12."Black and Blue" (from OU812)Anthony, Hagar, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen5:27
13."Jump" (from 1984)Anthony, Roth, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen4:04
14."Top of the World" (from For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge)Anthony, Hagar, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen3:54
15."(Oh) Pretty Woman" (from Diver Down, 1982)William Dees, Roy Orbison2:53
16."Love Walks In" (from 5150)Anthony, Hagar, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen5:11
17."Beautiful Girls" (from Van Halen II, 1979)Anthony, Roth, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen3:57
18."Can't Stop Lovin' You" (from Balance, 1995)Anthony, Hagar, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen4:08
19."Unchained" (from Fair Warning, 1981)Anthony, Roth, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen3:29
Disc two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Panama" (from 1984)Anthony, Roth, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen3:32
2."Best of Both Worlds" (from 5150)Anthony, Hagar, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen4:49
3."Jamie's Cryin'" (from Van Halen)Anthony, Roth, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen3:30
4."Runaround" (from For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge)Anthony, Hagar, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen4:20
5."I'll Wait" (from 1984)Anthony, Michael McDonald, Roth, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen4:42
6."Why Can't This Be Love" (from 5150)Anthony, Hagar, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen3:48
7."Runnin' with the Devil" (from Van Halen)Anthony, Roth, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen3:36
8."When It's Love" (from OU812)Anthony, Hagar, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen5:38
9."Dancing in the Street" (from Diver Down)Marvin Gaye, Ivy Hunter, William Stevenson3:45
10."Strung Out"/"Not Enough" (from Balance)Anthony, Hagar, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen6:48
11."Feels So Good" (from OU812)Anthony, Hagar, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen4:32
12."Right Now" (from For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge)Anthony, Hagar, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen5:22
13."Everybody Wants Some!!" (from Women and Children First)Anthony, Roth, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen5:10
14."Dance the Night Away" (from Van Halen II)Anthony, Roth, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen3:10
15."Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love" (from Live: Right Here, Right Now, 1993)Anthony, Roth, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen4:43
16."Panama" (from Live: Right Here, Right Now)Anthony, Roth, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen6:39
17."Jump" (from Live: Right Here, Right Now)Anthony, Roth, A. Van Halen, E. Van Halen4:20

Notes

  • Track 10 on disc two combines the instrumental "Strung Out" with "Not Enough", although it is shown on the album track list as simply "Not Enough". Both songs were listed as individual tracks on the Balance album.

Personnel

Van Halen
Additional musicians
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

Chart (2004) Peak
position
Australian Top 50 Albums[6] 31
Austrian Top 75 Albums[7] 33
Canadian Albums Chart[4] 2
Danish Top 40 Albums[8] 25
Finnish Top 50 Albums[9] 4
French Compilations[10] 27
German Albums[11] 28
New Zealand Top 40 Albums[12] 9
Norwegian Top 40 Albums[13] 17
Swedish Top 60 Albums[14] 12
Swiss Top 100 Albums[15] 55
UK Albums Chart[16] 15
US Billboard 200[4] 3

Singles

Year Single Chart Position
2004 "It's About Time" Mainstream Rock Tracks 6
"Up for Breakfast" Mainstream Rock Tracks 33

Certification

Region CertificationCertified units/Sales
United States (RIAA)[17] Platinum 1,000,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

  1. The Best of Both Worlds at AllMusic
  2. Entertainment Weekly review
  3. Rolling Stone Review
  4. 1 2 3 "The Best of Both Worlds – Van Halen". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
  5. 1 2 Harrell, John "Shooter" (March 17, 2006). "MICHAEL ANTHONY Speaks Candidly About VAN HALEN's Past And Future". blabbermouth.net. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  6. "Van Halen – The Best of Both Worlds (Album)" (ASP). Australian Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
  7. "Van Halen – The Best of Both Worlds (Album)" (ASP). Austrian Charts (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
  8. "Van Halen – The Best of Both Worlds (Album)" (ASP). Danish Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
  9. "Van Halen – The Best of Both Worlds (Album)" (ASP). Finnish Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
  10. "Les "Charts Runs" de chaque Album Classé". InfoDisc (in French). Archived from the original (PHP) on 2008-08-20. Find "VAN HALEN" under the drop-down menu to see statistics.
  11. "Chartverfolgung / Van Halen / Longplay". Music Line (in German). Media Control Charts. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
  12. "Van Halen – The Best of Both Worlds (Album)" (ASP). New Zealand Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
  13. "Van Halen – The Best of Both Worlds (Album)" (ASP). Norwegian Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
  14. "Van Halen – The Best of Both Worlds (Album)" (ASP). Swedish Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
  15. "Van Halen – The Best of Both Worlds (Album)" (ASP). Swiss Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
  16. "Chart Archive: Top 40 Official UK Albums Archive – 31st July 2004". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
  17. "American album certifications – Van Halen – The Best of Both Worlds". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
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