The Best Of John Hiatt

John Hiatt | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 25, 1998)
• Original Release Date: August 25, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B000009RN8
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,465 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #14 in Music > Country > Americana
  • #31 in Music > Rock > Singer-Songwriters
  • #64 in Music > Rock > Country Rock

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

John Hiatt has had such extraordinary success as a songwriter that, even if you haven't followed his career as a performer, you'll find you know most of these songs by virtue of their hit cover versions. Bonnie Raitt ("A Thing Called Love"), Suzy Bogguss ("Drive South"), Rosanne Cash ("The Way We Mend a Broken Heart"), Jeff Healey ("Angel Eyes"), and Aaron Neville ("Feels Like Rain") have all dipped into the Hiatt songbook with spectacular results. Hiatt's originals (plus a couple of new tracks) are terrific in their own right, thanks to his gritty vocal style and stellar accompaniment on some tracks by Ry Cooder, Nick Lowe, Jim Keltner, and Sonny Landreth. The only missteps here are a rerecorded version of "Have a Little Faith in Me" (the original is one of Hiatt's most powerful performances) and the inclusion of "Take Off Your Uniform," a distant memory from Hiatt's days as a new waver in the Elvis Costello mold. --Daniel Durchholz

Product Description

John is the songwriter's songwriter, having been covered by everyone from Bob Dylan to Iggy Pop. But he's also emerged as a marvelous performer in the course of making 14 albums; this anthology brings together his very best, including the twice-Grammy-nominated Cry Love , re-records of Angel Eyes; Have a Little Faith in Me , and Drive South and two new songs-17 tracks in all!

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BEST OF THE "BEST", AUDIO-WISE, October 20, 2005

By 

BOB (LOS ANGELES, CA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Best Of John Hiatt (Audio CD)

There are many John Hiatt compilations in existence, but in the latter 90's, it got especially confusing, as three competing record labels weighed in: this one from Capitol in 1998, A&M with "Greatest Hits" in 1999, then HIP-O with the 2-disc set, "Anthology" in 2001. Oy!

Of the two Capitol and A&M single-disc compilations, which to buy? Is there a difference in the audio quality between the two?

You bet. If you're looking for the disc with the best audio, this is it.

The Capitol & A&M titles share eight identical tracks:

2. Thing Called Love
5. Slow Turning
7. Memphis In The Meantime
8. Child Of The Wild Blue Yonder
11. Buffalo River Home
12. Feels Like Rain
14. Perfectly Good Guitar
15. Tennessee Plates

Six of these tracks have noticeably better audio on this disc vs. the A&M version. Tracks 2 & 14 sound identical.

Two tracks whose titles appear on both CD's, but in actuality are different versions are (on this disc):

1. Have A Little Faith In Me (re-make with chorale, I prefer the original version)
9. Drive South

This CD has six other tracks which do not appear on the A&M version.

Compared to HIP-O's more expensive, 2-disc "Anthology", the audio on this disc is virtually identical, though both sets were mastered by different engineers at different studios. So, it looks like HIP-O & Capitol tried harder or had better source material, and the A&M is sub-standard.

There are only 5 tracks on this disc that do not appear on the HIP-O "Anthology" (#'s 1, 6, 13, 16, 17).

So, the HIP-O set is probably your best investment, as its resale value, should you ever choose to sell it, or more likely, when ANOTHER Hiatt "Best Of" shows up, will be higher than the other two discs.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very good sample, January 18, 2005

By 

Rollie Anderson (Forney, Texas United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Best Of John Hiatt (Audio CD)

The problem with making a "best of" album for Mr. Hiatt would be the same with making one for John Prine or Tom Waits. All have written hits for many artists but none have one of their own. Devoted followers will always bemoan their favorites that were left off. But cds like these aren't for the true fans. They are for the uninitiated. In this respect this is a fine album that I enjoy immensely. I own a few of John's albums and am glad that four of my favorite songs from them are included but the real treasure here is finding the gems I've never heard. This artist is a great songwriter and an enthusiastic performer. This cd showcases both aspects quite well.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Grab Bag of Hiatt's Tunes. Not Necessarily His Best., November 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Best Of John Hiatt (Audio CD)

Best of? Not exactly. Music buyers would be better off skipping this disc and loading up on a half dozen or more of Hiatt's other recordings, including these wonderful tunes: Seven Little Indians (Stolen Moments) Through Your Hands (Stolen Moments) Blue Telescope (Perfectly Good Guitar) Is Anybody There? (Slow Turning) Lipstick Sunset (Bring The Family) Stood Up (Bring The Family) Ethylene (Walk On) One Step Over The Line (Will The Circle Be Unbroken, Volume II: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, featuring a terrific duet with Rosanne Cash) and John H.'s best song and one of the best songs from anybody in a long time: Don't Think About Her When You're Trying To Drive. (Little Village with John on vocals and Ry Cooder on electric guitar.)