Limited vinyl LP pressing. The Best That I Could Do 1978-1988 is the first greatest hits compilation album by singer-songwriter John Mellencamp, released by Mercury Records in 1997. 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. The album reached #33 on the Billboard 200. This album and Rough Harvest came about because, after leaving Mercury Records for Columbia Records, Mellencamp still owed the label two more albums. 1 I Need a Lover 5:37 2 Ain't Even Done with the Night 4:38 3 Hurts So Good 3:39 4 Jack & Diane 4:15 5 Crumblin' Down 3:35 6 Pink Houses 4:44 7 Authority Song 3:49 8 Lonely Ol' Night 3:45 9 Small Town 3:40 10 R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. (A Salute to 60's Rock) 2:55 11 Paper in Fire 3:51 12 Cherry Bomb 4:49 13 Check It Out 4:20 14 Without Expression 5:05
