Editing Best... I (section)

==Background==
WEA (now the [[Warner Music Group]]) had acquired the entire Smiths back catalogue in early 1992. Along with the re-release of the eight original albums (the four studio albums, the ''[[Rank (album)|Rank]]'' live album and the three compilation albums issued while the band were still active), they immediately set to work compiling a 'best of' collection in two volumes. It was the first time a regular best of compilation had ever been made of The Smiths' material and the album effortlessly reached the top of the British charts. The British [[Music journalism|press]] had doubts about sell-out and low track selection coherence.

The material is more or less picked and sequenced at random, and consists of both [[Single (music)|singles]] and album cuts. It was followed later the same year by its sibling, ''[[...Best II]]''. The first spin-off single, a re-release of "This Charming Man", reached No. 8 in the singles chart, the highest position a Smiths single had ever reached. A second single promoting ''Best... I'', an edited re-release of "How Soon Is Now?", got to No. 16 (the uncut version is featured on the compilation).

===Cover===
The UK and European release of the record featured the left half of a [[Motorcycle|biker]] couple photograph by [[Dennis Hopper]] from 1961 entitled 'Biker Couple' on its sleeve, with ''...Best II'' completing the picture; the U.S. sleeve was designed by singer [[Morrissey]] and features [[Richard Davalos]], co-star of ''[[East of Eden (film)|East of Eden]]''.