Best of Rockers 'n' Ballads

Best of Rockers 'n' Ballads is a compilation album by the German hard rock band Scorpions, released in 1989. All songs on this album are from their tenure with Mercury Records, from 1979 to 1988, in addition to rare or never-before released material.

Best of Rockers 'n' Ballads
Compilation album by Scorpions
Released	November 29, 1989
Recorded	1978–1989
Genre	Hard rock
Length	61:28 (Europe) / 55:08 (US)
Label	EMI (Europe) Mercury (US)
Producer	Dieter Dierks, except "I Can't Explain" by Bruce Fairbairn
Scorpions compilations chronology
Gold Ballads (1985) Best of Rockers 'n' Ballads (1989) Hot & Slow: The Best of the Ballads (1991)
Singles from Best of Rockers 'n' Ballads
"I Can't Explain / Lovedrive" Released: 1989 "Is There Anybody There? (Long Version) / The Zoo" Released: 1989
The Essential Scorpions cover

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
AllMusic	(The Essential Scorpions)[2]

Background

The record was released with different track listings in different regions: At all the compilation features several rare or completely unreleased tracks: There are remixes of "Big City Nights", "Lovedrive", "Holiday" and "Is There Anybody There", which were previously unreleased. Also included are two different versions of "Hey You". While the European pressing features a previously unreleased remix of the song, the US and Japanese editions feature the original version, which was released in 1980 as a single. So far it's still the only CD pressing where you can find the original version of "Hey You". Another rarity was a cover of The Who's "I Can't Explain", which was also included on that same year's Stairway to Heaven/Highway to Hell charity compilation album. The European CD edition also includes one more rarity: the version of "China White", which features a different solo, a solo that was just released on US editions of Blackout before.

The track listing and individual running times differ between the US, European and Asian editions. While the European pressing features 14 or 15 tracks, the original version of "Hey You" is missing and replaced by a remix. The US and Japanese version just feature twelve tracks and omit the re-recorded version of "Is There Anybody There?" as well as "Another Piece of Meat" and "China White", but it includes the longer, original version of "Hey You". The European edition was re-released with the title The Essential Scorpions in 2003.

Best of Rockers 'n' Ballads reached platinum status in the United States, and is the Scorpions' only compilation album to be certified at least gold by the RIAA there.[3]

Track listing

European edition

No.	Title	Writer(s)	From the album	Length
1.	"Rock You Like a Hurricane"	Rudolf Schenker, Klaus Meine, Herman Rarebell	Love at First Sting	4:10
2.	"I Can’t Explain"	Pete Townshend	Stairway to Heaven/Highway to Hell	3:19
3.	"Rhythm of Love"	Schenker, Meine	Savage Amusement	3:47
4.	"Big City Nights (Remix)"	Schenker, Meine	previously unreleased (original version from Love at First Sting)	3:52
5.	"Lovedrive"	Schenker, Meine	Lovedrive	4:50
6.	"Is There Anybody There? (Remix)"	Schenker, Meine, Rarebell	previously unreleased (original version from Lovedrive)	4:16
7.	"Holiday (Remix)"	Schenker, Meine	previously unreleased (original version from Lovedrive)	6:50
8.	"Still Loving You"	Schenker, Meine	Love at First Sting	6:25
9.	"No One Like You"	Schenker, Meine	Blackout	3:54
10.	"Blackout"	Schenker, Meine, Rarebell, Sonja Kittelsen	Blackout	3:49
11.	"Another Piece of Meat"	Schenker, Rarebell	Lovedrive	3:21
12.	"You Give Me All I Need"	Schenker, Rarebell	Blackout	3:37
13.	"Hey You (Remix)"	Schenker, Meine, Rarebell	previously unreleased (original version from Hey You (Single))	3:43
14.	"The Zoo"	Schenker, Meine	Animal Magnetism	5:29
15.	"China White (US-solo version)* (CD bonus track)"	Schenker, Meine	Blackout	6:56

US and Japanese edition

No.	Title	Writer(s)	From the album	Length
1.	"Rock You Like a Hurricane"	Schenker, Meine, Rarebell	Love at First Sting	4:12
2.	"I Can’t Explain"	Townshend	Stairway to Heaven/Highway to Hell	3:22
3.	"Still Loving You"	Schenker, Meine	Love at First Sting	6:27
4.	"Big City Nights"	Schenker, Meine	Love at First Sting	4:09
5.	"Lovedrive (Remix)"	Schenker, Meine	previously unreleased (original version from Lovedrive)	4:51
6.	"Holiday (Remix)"	Schenker, Meine	previously unreleased (original version from Lovedrive)	6:48
7.	"Blackout"	Schenker, Meine, Rarebell, Kittelsen	Blackout	3:45
8.	"Rhythm of Love"	Schenker, Meine	Savage Amusement	3:49
9.	"No One Like You"	Schenker, Meine	Blackout	3:55
10.	"You Give Me All I Need"	Schenker, Rarebell	Blackout	3:40
11.	"Hey You"	Schenker, Meine, Rarebell	Hey You (Single)	4:29
12.	"The Zoo"	Schenker, Meine	Animal Magnetism	5:28

Charts

Album

Year	Chart	Position
1989	German Albums Chart[4]	14
	Swiss Albums Charts[5]	21
	Swedish Albums Chart[6]	35
	Billboard 200 (North America)[7]	43
	GfK Dutch Charts[8]	92

Singles

Year	Title	Chart	Position
1989	"I Can't Explain"	Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks[7]	5

Certifications

Country	Organization	Year	Sales
USA	RIAA	1993	Platinum (+ 1,000,000)[3]
Canada	CRIA	1991	Gold (+ 50,000)[9]
Germany	BVMI	1991	Gold (+ 250,000)[10]
Switzerland	IFPI Switzerland	1991	Gold (+ 25,000)[11]
Finland	IFPI Finland	1991	Gold (+ 25,000)[12]

References

1. Weber, Barry. "Scorpions The Best of Rockers 'N' Ballads review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-11-27.
2. Theakston, Rob. "Scorpions Essential review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-11-27.
3. RIAA Gold and Platinum Search for albums by Scorpions. Retrieved on 2011-02-22.
4. "Album – Scorpions, Best Of Rockers 'n' Ballads". Charts.de (in German). Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2012-11-28.
5. "Scorpions – Best Of Rockers 'n' Ballads". Hitparade.ch (in German). Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2012-11-28.
6. "Scorpions – Best Of Rockers 'n' Ballads (album)". Swedishcharts.com. Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2012-11-28.
7. "The Best of Rockers 'N' Ballads Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-11-28.
8. "Scorpions – Best Of Rockers 'n' Ballads (album)". GfK Dutch Charts (in Dutch). Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2012-11-28.
9. "Gold Platinum Search for Scorpions". Music Canada. Archived from the original on 2013-10-31. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
10. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Scorpions)" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 2011-02-22.
11. "Awards". Hitparade.ch. Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2012-11-28.
12. "Tilastot: Scorpions". Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Archived from the original on 2015-07-13. Retrieved 2012-11-28.