The Very Best Of (Eagles album)

{{Short description|2003 greatest hits album by the Eagles}}

{{For|the 1994 compilation|The Very Best of the Eagles}}

{{Infobox album

| name = The Very Best Of

| type = greatest hits

| artist = Eagles

| cover = Verybesteagles.jpg

| border = yes

| alt =

| released = October 21, 2003

| recorded = 1972–2003

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Rock

| length = 144:54

| label = Warner Strategic Marketing

| producer = Glyn Johns, Bill Szymczyk, Eagles, Elliot Scheiner and Rob Jacobs

| prev_title = Selected Works: 1972–1999

| prev_year = 2000

| next_title = Eagles

| next_year = 2005

}}

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{rating|4.5|5}} {{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-very-best-of-2003-mw0002114338 |publisher=AllMusic |title=Eagles: The Very Best Of}}

|rev2 = Rolling Stone

|rev2score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite book |first1=Nathan |last1=Brackett |first2=Christian David |last2=Hoard |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/eagles/albumguide |title=Eagles |publisher=Simon and Schuster |date=2004 |accessdate=August 26, 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130228232419/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/eagles/albumguide |archivedate=February 28, 2013 }}

}}

The Very Best Of (released as The Complete Greatest Hits in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand) is a two-disc compilation album by the Eagles, released in 2003.{{cite web| url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-very-best-of-2003-mw0002114338| title=Eagles – The Very Best Of (2003) |publisher=AllMusic}} This album combines all tracks that appeared on the two previously released Eagles greatest hits albums (Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) and Eagles Greatest Hits, Vol. 2), along with other singles not included on the first two compilations, album tracks, and the new track "Hole in the World".

[http://www.theuncool.com/journalism/the-very-best-of-the-eagles/ The accompanying booklet to The Very Best Of] features commentaries on all of the songs from Glenn Frey and Don Henley, as compiled by Cameron Crowe.

The Very Best Of was also released as a limited-edition three-disc set with the third disc being a bonus DVD containing the video for the new song "Hole in the World", as well as a making of the video featurette and "Backstage Pass to Farewell 1."

Artwork

The artwork for the cover, a horse skull with feathers, is by Boyd Elder. Elder also produced the skull artwork for the Eagles' 1975 album One of These Nights and their compilation album Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975).{{cite magazine|first=Sterry|last=Butcher|title=Boyd Elder Is the Most Famous Artist You've Never Heard Of|url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/being-texan/boyd-elder-west-texas/|magazine=Texas Monthly|date=February 2018|accessdate=June 11, 2019}}

Commercial performance

The album debuted on the Billboard 200 on November 8, 2003, at number 3, with 162,000 copies sold. It spent 62 weeks on the chart. The album was certified and awarded gold, platinum, and double platinum records by the RIAA on December 17, 2003, and on December 13, 2004, it achieved triple platinum status. The album has sold over 5 million units in the United States.{{cite web|url=http://theboot.com/eagles-hell-freezes-over-tour/ |title=21 Years Ago: The Eagles Reunite for Hell Freezes Over Tour |first= Gayle |last= Thompson |date=May 27, 2015 |work=The Boot }}

As of December 2007, it has spent over 325 weeks in the Irish Album Charts, effectively not having left the chart since its release. In the UK the album (as The Complete Greatest Hits) entered the charts on November 1, 2003, at its initial number 27 peak position, the album did however re-enter the charts in June 2006 when it peaked at number 9 on the UK Albums Chart.

Track listing

{{Track listing

|headline = Disc one

|title1 = Take It Easy

|writer1 = Jackson Browne, Glenn Frey

|length1 = 3:29

|title2 = Witchy Woman

|writer2 = Don Henley, Bernie Leadon

|length2 = 4:10

|title3 = Peaceful Easy Feeling

|writer3 = Jack Tempchin

|length3 = 4:16

|title4 = Desperado

|writer4 = Henley, Frey

|length4 = 3:33

|title5 = Tequila Sunrise

|writer5 = Henley, Frey

|length5 = 2:52

|title6 = Doolin-Dalton

|writer6 = Browne, Frey, Henley, JD Souther

|length6 = 3:26

|title7 = Already Gone

|writer7 = Tempchin, Robb Strandlund

|length7 = 4:13

|title8 = Best of My Love

|writer8 = Henley, Frey, Souther

|length8 = 4:35

|title9 = James Dean

|writer9 = Browne, Frey, Souther, Henley

|length9 = 3:36

|title10 = Ol' '55

|writer10 = Tom Waits

|length10 = 4:22

|title11 = Midnight Flyer

|writer11 = Paul Craft

|length11 = 3:58

|title12 = On the Border

|writer12 = Henley, Leadon, Frey

|length12 = 4:28

|title13 = Lyin' Eyes

|writer13 = Henley, Frey

|length13 = 6:21

|title14 = One of These Nights

|writer14 = Henley, Frey

|length14 = 4:51

|title15 = Take It to the Limit

|writer15 = Randy Meisner, Henley, Frey

|length15 = 4:48

|title16 = After the Thrill Is Gone

|writer16 = Henley, Frey

|length16 = 3:56

|title17 = Hotel California

|writer17 = Don Felder, Henley, Frey

|length17 = 6:30

| total_length = 1:13:24

}}

:*Tracks 1–3 from Eagles (1972)

:*Tracks 4–6 from Desperado (1973)

:*Tracks 7–12 from On the Border (1974)

:*Tracks 13–16 from One of These Nights (1975)

:*Track 17 from Hotel California (1976)

{{Track listing

|headline = Disc two

|title1 = Life in the Fast Lane

|writer1 = Joe Walsh, Henley, Frey

|length1 = 4:46

|title2 = Wasted Time

|writer2 = Henley, Frey

|length2 = 4:55

|title3 = Victim of Love

|writer3 = Felder, Souther, Henley, Frey

|length3 = 4:11

|title4 = The Last Resort

|writer4 = Henley, Frey

|length4 = 7:25

|title5 = New Kid in Town

|writer5 = Souther, Henley, Frey

|length5 = 5:04

|title6 = Please Come Home for Christmas

|writer6 = Charles Brown, Gene Redd

|length6 = 2:58

|title7 = Heartache Tonight

|writer7 = Henley, Frey, Bob Seger, Souther

|length7 = 4:26

|title8 = The Sad Café

|writer8 = Henley, Frey, Walsh, Souther

|length8 = 5:35

|title9 = I Can't Tell You Why

|writer9 = Timothy B. Schmit, Henley, Frey

|length9 = 4:56

|title10 = The Long Run

|writer10 = Henley, Frey

|length10 = 3:42

|title11 = In the City

|writer11 = Walsh, Barry De Vorzon

|length11 = 3:46

|title12 = Those Shoes

|writer12 = Felder, Henley, Frey

|length12 = 4:56

|title13 = Seven Bridges Road

|note13 = Live

|writer13 = Steve Young

|length13 = 3:02

|title14 = Love Will Keep Us Alive

|writer14 = Pete Vale, Jim Capaldi, Paul Carrack

|length14 = 4:00

|title15 = Get Over It

|writer15 = Henley, Frey

|length15 = 3:29

|title16 = Hole in the World

|writer16 = Henley, Frey

|length16 = 4:19

| total_length = 1:11:30

}}

:*Tracks 1–5 from Hotel California (1976)

:*Track 6 was a non-album single (1978)

:*Tracks 7–12 from The Long Run (1979)

:*Track 13 from Eagles Live (1980)

:*Tracks 14 and 15 from Hell Freezes Over (1994)

:*Track 16 is a new track (2003)

Personnel

;Additional personnel

  • Steuart Smith – guitars (song 16 on disc two)
  • Scott Crago – drums, percussion (songs 14–16 on disc two)
  • Will Hollis – piano (songs 14–16 on disc two)
  • Jim Ed Norman – piano, string arrangements (songs 4, 13, 15 on disc one and songs 2, 4 on disc two)
  • Jay Oliver – keyboards
  • David Sanbornalto saxophone (song 8 on disc two)
  • Al Perkins – pedal steel guitar (song 10 on disc one)
  • Sid Sharp – comcertmaster

Production

  • Producers: Glyn Johns, Bill Szymczyk, Eagles, Elliot Scheiner and Rob Jacobs
  • Engineers: Allan Blazek, Michael Braunstein, Glyn Johns, Ed Mashal, Bill Szymczyk, Michael Verdick, Ken Villeneuve, and Don Wood
  • Assistant engineers: Allan Blazek, Howard Kilgour, Tom Trafalski,
  • Remastering: Ted Jensen
  • String arrangements: Jim Ed Norman

{{Cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-very-best-of-2003-mw0002114338/credits|title=The Very Best of [2003] – Eagles | Credits | AllMusic|website=AllMusic}}

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

= Weekly charts =

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"| Chart (2003)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

{{album chart|Austria|43|artist=Eagles|album=The Complete Greatest Hits|rowheader=true|accessdate=July 5, 2021}}
{{album chart|Netherlands|29|artist=Eagles|album=The Complete Greatest Hits|rowheader=true|accessdate=July 5, 2021}}
{{album chart|Germany4|56|id=4723|artist=Eagles|album=The Complete Greatest Hits|rowheader=true|accessdate=July 5, 2021}}
{{album chart|Italy|34|artist=Eagles|album=The Complete Greatest Hits|rowheader=true|accessdate=July 5, 2021}}
{{album chart|Norway|29|artist=Eagles|album=The Complete Greatest Hits|rowheader=true|accessdate=July 5, 2021}}
{{album chart|Sweden|8|artist=Eagles|album=The Complete Greatest Hits|rowheader=true|accessdate=July 5, 2021}}
{{album chart|Switzerland|71|artist=Eagles|album=The Complete Greatest Hits|rowheader=true|accessdate=July 5, 2021}}
{{album chart|Billboard200|3|artist=Eagles|rowheader=true|accessdate=July 5, 2021}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"| Chart (2006)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

{{album chart|UK2|9|date=20060618|rowheader=true|accessdate=July 5, 2021}}

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"| Chart (2007)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

{{album chart|New Zealand|5|artist=Eagles|album=The Complete Greatest Hits|rowheader=true|accessdate=July 5, 2021}}
{{album chart|BillboardCatalog|1|artist=Eagles|rowheader=true|accessdate=July 5, 2021}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"| Chart (2016)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

{{album chart|Australia|10|artist=Eagles|album=The Complete Greatest Hits|rowheader=true|accessdate=July 5, 2021}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"| Chart (2022)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

{{album chart|Ireland3|11|date=20220701|rowheader=true|access-date=July 1, 2022}}

{{col-2}}

= Year-end charts =

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"| Chart (2004)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| US Billboard 200{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2004/top-billboard-200-albums|title=Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2004|work=Billboard|accessdate=July 5, 2021|archive-date=January 1, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101184006/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2004/top-billboard-200-albums|url-status=live}}

| 72

scope="col"| Chart (2006)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| UK Albums (OCC){{cite web|url=http://www.ukchartsplus.co.uk/ChartsPlusYE2006.pdf|title=2006 UK Albums Chart|publisher=ChartsPlus|accessdate=July 5, 2021}}

| 159

{{col-end}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=album|artist=Eagles|title=The Complete Greatest Hits |award=Platinum|number=4|relyear=2003|certyear=2016|access-date=December 28, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=album|artist=Eagles|title=The Very Best Of|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=2003|certyear=2004}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|type=album|artist=Eagles|title=The Very Best of Eagles|award=Gold|note=sales since 2009|relyear=2003|certyear=2014|accessdate=December 8, 2020}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Netherlands|type=album|artist=Eagles|title=The Very Best Of|award=Platinum|relyear=2003|certyear=2005|accessdate= January 10, 2020}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=album|artist=Eagles|title=The Complete Greatest Hits|award=Platinum|number=2|id=2019-12-27|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|relyear=2003}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|type=album|artist=Eagles|title=The Very Best of|relyear=1991|certyear=1994|award=Gold|certref={{cite book|url=http://www.mediafire.com/view/x263f6daopkswo8|title=Sólo Éxitos 1959–2002 Año A Año: Certificados 1979–1990|publisher=Iberautor Promociones Culturales|language=Spanish|isbn=8480486392}}|accessdate=August 20, 2019}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=album|artist=Eagles|title=The Complete Greatest Hits|award=Platinum|number=3|relyear=2003|certyear=2021|id=6855-663-2}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|artist=Eagles|title=The Very Best Of|award=Platinum|number=5|relyear=1975|certyear=2001}}

{{Certification Table Summary}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Europe|title=8 Mile|artist=Soundtrack|type=album|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=2003|certyear=2003|accessdate= February 2, 2020}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true}}

See also

References