Best... I

WEA (now the Warner Music Group) had acquired the entire Smiths back catalogue in early 1992. Along with the re-release of the eight original albums (the four studio albums, the Rank live album and the three compilation albums issued while the band were still active), they immediately set to work compiling a 'best of' collection in two volumes. It was the first time a regular best of compilation had ever been made of The Smiths' material and the album effortlessly reached the top of the British charts. The British press had doubts about sell-out and low track selection coherence.

The material is more or less picked and sequenced at random, and consists of both singles and album cuts. It was followed later the same year by its sibling, ...Best II. The first spin-off single, a re-release of "This Charming Man", reached No. 8 in the singles chart, the highest position a Smiths single had ever reached. A second single promoting Best... I, an edited re-release of "How Soon Is Now?", got to No. 16 (the uncut version is featured on the compilation).

Cover

The UK and European release of the record featured the left half of a biker couple photograph by Dennis Hopper from 1961 entitled 'Biker Couple' on its sleeve, with ...Best II completing the picture; the U.S. sleeve was designed by singer Morrissey and features Richard Davalos, co-star of East of Eden.

All tracks written by Morrissey and Johnny Marr.

• Morrissey, vocals
• Johnny Marr, guitars, harmonica, mandolins on "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want"
• Andy Rourke, bass guitar
• Mike Joyce, drums
• Craig Gannon, rhythm guitar on "Half a Person" and "Panic"

Additional musicians

• John Porter, slide guitar on "Sheila Take a Bow"
• Stephen Street, synthesized string arrangements on "Girlfriend in a Coma".

Production

• John Porter, producer (A1-A3, B1, B6-B7)
• Johnny Marr, Morrissey and Street, producers (A4-A6, B4)
• Morrissey and Marr, producers (A7, B5)
• The Smiths, producers (B2)
• Johnny Marr, producer (B3)