The Best of Both Worlds is the second greatest hits album by American rock band Van Halen, released on July 20, 2004, on Warner Bros. The compilation features material recorded with lead vocalists David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar, but omits Gary Cherone's three-year tenure with the band. Prior to The Best of Both Worlds's release, Hagar reunited with Van Halen, and the band recorded three new tracks to include on the release.
Debuting at #3 in the US, the album coincided with a reunion tour, and certified Platinum. It is the last Van Halen album to feature contributions from Hagar
Contents
Background
The compilation features 16 tracks taken from the six David Lee Roth era albums (1978–1984), and 14 from the four Sammy Hagar era albums (1986–1995), plus three live songs with Hagar from Live: Right Here, Right Now (1993), and three new songs with Hagar made for the compilation. The album was released in promotion of the new reunion tour featuring Hagar returning as lead singer. The three new songs were also performed live at various times.
Michael Anthony did not play bass guitar for the three new songs, although he did provide backing vocals for them. He also did not write any of the three songs. Anthony was not an official band member at that point and the songs were recorded before he rejoined. The bass guitar on the new songs was played by Eddie Van Halen.
According to Anthony, the original plans involved one disc of songs recorded with Roth and another of songs recorded with Hagar, with the three new songs appearing on the Roth disc.
Track listing
Notes
Track 6 on disc one, "Finish What Ya Started," has no fade out unlike the album version on OU812.
Track 15 on disc one, "(Oh) Pretty Woman," is the single edit version (with the first snare drum hit removed), not the version that appeared on Diver Down. The album version segues directly from the preceding track, "Intruder".
Track 10 on disc two combines the instrumental "Strung Out" with "Not Enough," although it is shown on the album track list as simply "Not Enough". Both songs are listed as individual tracks on Balance.
Personnel
Van Halen
Sammy Hagar – lead vocals on tracks 2–4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 on disc 1; 2, 4, 6, 8, 10–12, on disc 2, rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Edward Van Halen – lead guitar, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboards, backing vocals, bass on tracks 2–4 on disc 1
Alex Van Halen – drums, percussion
David Lee Roth – lead and backing vocals on tracks 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19 on disc 1; 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 13, 14 on disc 2
Michael Anthony – bass, except on tracks 2–4 on disc 1, backing vocals
Additional musicians
Steve Lukather – backing vocals on tracks 2–4, 14 on disc 1; 10 on disc 2
Production
Compilation producer: Van Halen
Engineer: Bill Malina (on new songs)
Product manager: Kenny Nemes
Project assistants: Hugh Brown, Tom Consolo, Malia Doss, Jimmy Edwards, Alan Fletcher, Kevin Gore, Bill Inglot, Joanne Jaworowski, Anna Loynes, Mark McKenna, David McLees, Scott Pascucci
Mastering supervisor: Glen Ballard (producer on new songs)
Remastering: Stephen Marcussen
Editorial supervision: Cory Frye
Art direction: Sara Cumings, Jeri Heiden