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.

Tracklist:

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