You Wanted the Best, You Got the Best!!

You Wanted the Best, You Got the Best!! is a live hits album released by American hard rock band Kiss. The album was issued to coincide with the group's 1996–97 Alive/Worldwide Tour. All of the songs on the album are live versions. Most were taken from Alive! or Alive II but four recordings had been previously unreleased. The liner notes report the tracks are outtakes from Alive! and Alive II-era recordings, although there is some speculation to whether this is actually the case (mainly because Paul & Gene's voices sound like they were re-recorded in 1996 and Peter's drums sound very modernized); in an interview with Latent Image magazine in 1998, Bruce Kulick stated that he had participated in some aspects of this album in the studio, although he did not comment on the extent of his involvement. The final track is an interview of the reunited group conducted by Jay Leno.

You Wanted the Best,
You Got the Best!!
Compilation album by
Kiss
ReleasedJune 25, 1996
Recorded1975, 1977 & 1996
GenreHard rock
Length59:16
LabelMercury
ProducerVarious
Kiss chronology
Kiss Unplugged
(1996)		 You Wanted the Best,
You Got the Best!!
(1996)		 Greatest Kiss
(1997)

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Rolling Stone[2]

The album received generally negative reviews. Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave the album one star out of five and said, "It's a rip-off album, pure and simple... There is simply no reason for this to exist... you may have wanted the best, but you didn't get it – you just got exploited."[1] Rolling Stone's 1996 review was also negative, calling it a "shameless reunion-promotion biscuit".[3] The 2004 album guide by the same magazine gave the album three stars out of five.[2]

Commercial success

The album was certified gold by the RIAA on May 21, 1997.[4]

Track listing
US version
No.TitleWriter(s)OriginLength
1."Room Service"Paul StanleyPreviously unreleased, recorded in Davenport, Iowa in 1975; overdubs in early-mid 19963:38
2."Two Timer"Gene SimmonsPreviously unreleased, recorded at Cobo Arena Detroit, Michigan in May 16, 1975; overdubs in early-mid 19963:15
3."Let Me Know"StanleyPreviously unreleased, recorded at Cobo Arena Detroit, Michigan in May 16, 1975; overdubs in early-mid 19963:38
4."Rock Bottom"Ace Frehley, StanleyAlive!, 19753:33
5."Parasite"FrehleyAlive!3:37
6."Firehouse"StanleyAlive!4:00
7."I Stole Your Love"StanleyAlive II, 19773:32
8."Calling Dr. Love"SimmonsAlive II3:35
9."Take Me"Sean Delaney, StanleyPreviously unreleased, recorded in Los Angeles, California in 1977; overdubs in early-mid 19963:06
10."Shout It Out Loud"Bob Ezrin, Simmons, StanleyAlive II3:14
11."Beth"Peter Criss, Ezrin, Stan PenridgeAlive II2:33
12."Rock and Roll All Nite"Simmons, StanleyAlive!4:01
13."Kiss Tells All"Kiss, Jay Leno 17:34

The Japanese CD/ US vinyl release had another live track ("New York Groove"), featuring Eric Carr on drums rather than Peter Criss, which was also released as a promotional single at Blockbuster.

Personnel

Charts

Album

Nation Chart (1996) Position
Australia ARIA Album Chart 26[5]
Japan Oricon 70[6]
United States Billboard 200 17[7]

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[4] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. You Wanted the Best, You Got the Best!! at AllMusic
  2. "Kiss: Album Guide | Rolling Stone Music". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
  3. "You Wanted The Best, You Got The Best | Album Reviews | Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 24, 2012.
  4. "American album certifications – Kiss – You Want It – The Best". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
  5. "ARIA album chart history-Kiss". Retrieved February 13, 2009.
  6. Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  7. "Billboard album chart history-Kiss". Retrieved February 13, 2009.
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