The Best of John Hiatt | 
| Artist: John Hiatt
Label: Capitol
List Price: $16.98
Buy Used: $3.88
You Save: $13.10 (77%)
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Rating:  26 reviews
Sales Rank: 5464
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 4.9 x 0.4
MPN: 59179
UPC: 724385917929
EAN: 0724385917929
ASIN: B000009RN8
Release Date: August 25, 1998
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
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| Tracks:
| • | Have A Little Faith In Me | | • | Thing Called Love | | • | Riding With The King | | • | Cry Love | | • | Slow Turning | | • | The Way We Make A Broken Heart | | • | Memphis In The Meantime | | • | Child Of The Wild Blue Yonder | | • | Drive South | | • | Angel Eyes | | • | Buffalo River Home | | • | Feels Like Rain | | • | Love In Flames | | • | Perfectly Good Guitar | | • | Tennessee Plates | | • | Take Off Your Uniform | | • | Don't Know Much About Love |
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| 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
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| Customer Reviews: Read 21 more reviews...
 BEST OF THE "BEST", AUDIO-WISE October 20, 2005
BOB (LOS ANGELES, CA)
31 out of 31 found this review helpful
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.
 A Grab Bag of Hiatt's Tunes. Not Necessarily His Best. December 1, 1999
10 out of 11 found this review helpful
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.)
A fine sampler July 30, 2003
Docendo Discimus (Vita scholae)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
This album was originally titled "The Best Of John Hiatt 1973-1998", but since it effectively sidesteps his earliest recordings, it is actually more like "The Best Of John Hiatt 1983-1998".Compared with A&M's "Greatest Hits 1987-94", this Capitol release also features material from Hiatt's 1983 album "Riding With The King", from which it draws the title track, but unfortunately not the great roots-rock of "You May Already Be A Winner" and "She Loves The Jerk".
But there is a lot of good stuff here anyway (the track list is quite similar to the A&M compilation). Hiatt's tough, muscular blend of rock, folk, country and blues works particularly well on "Perfectly Good Guitar", "Cry Love", "Child Of The Wild Blue Yonder", "Slow Turning", and the excellent "Don't Know Much About Love" (a new song which is unique to this album, as is the fine ballad "Love In Flames"). "The Best Of John Hiatt" also features the wonderful "Buffalo River Home", one of Hiatt's best tunes and lyrics. Hiatt's first recording of his own "Angel Eyes" (which he gave to Jeff Healy, who had a hit with it in 1989). The groovy, slow and sexy R&B of "Take Off Your Uniform". And a lovely country-rock duet with Roseanne Cash, "The Way We Make A Broken Heart". It is by no means defintive, but it is a very good sampler, and long-time fans will certainly not be disappointed with the new material.
A very good sample January 18, 2005
Rollie Anderson (Forney, Texas United States)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
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.
Huge Hiatt fan knows he can do better! February 9, 1999
SmurfDru@aol.com (everywhere, but South Louisiana orginally)
6 out of 8 found this review helpful
I am a huge Hiatt fan, having all of his CD's except one.. I was not thrilled with his new version of Have a Little Faith on this CD.. The original on BRING THE FAMILY is the ultimate.. It is very hard for me to say which album of his is my favorite b/c I love them all.. but BRING THE FAMILY is awesome with Ry Cooder's beautiful slide guitar wailing in the background! I love the mandolins in all of his newer stuff too.. catch him live in concert, and you'll be hooked for life! Slow Turning, Stolen Moments, Perfectly Good Guitar, Walk On, Little Head, and Little Village is another cool project that's worthwhile! And I truly love his very first album ever, HANGIN AROUND THE OBSERVATORY made in 1974.. his voice sounds different, but the more I listen to it, the more I love it!
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