| "The Best of Me" | |
|---|---|
| Single byDavid Foster | |
| from the album The Best of Me | |
| Released | February 1983 |
| Recorded | 1982 |
| Length | 4:06 |
| Label |
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| Songwriters | David Foster,Jeremy Lubbock andRichard Marx |
"The Best of Me" is the debut solo single byDavid Foster, released in February 1983. Theballad was later included as the title track for his debut solo album with the same title, released in November 1983.[1] The song was composed in 1982 by Foster,Jeremy Lubbock andRichard Marx. It has since been recorded by numerous artists, the most notable beingOlivia Newton-John, whom Foster chose as his duet partner when he re-recorded the track in 1986, andCliff Richard, who chose it for his 100th single milestone in 1989.[citation needed]
| "The Best of Me" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byDavid Foster andOlivia Newton-John | ||||
| from the albumDavid Foster | ||||
| Released | May 1986 | |||
| Length | 4:08 | |||
| Label |
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| Songwriters | David Foster,Jeremy Lubbock andRichard Marx | |||
| Olivia Newton-John singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "The Best of Me" onYouTube | ||||
David Foster re-recorded the track withOlivia Newton-John for his 1986self-titled solo album. It was released as a single and made No. 6 on theBillboard Adult Contemporary chart and No. 80 on theBillboard Hot 100 chart.
| Chart (1986) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[2] | 17 |
| Canadian Adult Contemporary (RPM)|[3] | 3 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[4] | 80 |
| USBillboard Adult Contemporary[5] | 6 |
| USCash Box Top Singles[6] | 81 |
| Quebec (ADISQ)[7] | 37 |
| "The Best of Me" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.png) Front cover of standard edition | ||||
| Single byCliff Richard | ||||
| from the albumStronger | ||||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released | 30 May 1989 | |||
| Recorded | March–April 1989 | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Label | EMI | |||
| Songwriters | David Foster, Jeremy Lubbock,Richard Marx | |||
| Producer | Cliff Richard | |||
| Cliff Richard singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "The Best of Me" onYouTube | ||||
| Alternative cover | ||||
.jpg) Front cover of special edition | ||||
English singerCliff Richard selected the song for his milestone 100th single in 1989. Released on 30 May 1989, the song debuted at No. 2 on theUK Singles Chart and stayed there another week in its 7-week run on the chart.[8] It was certified silver by theBPI for sales over 200,000.[9]
Before releasing his 100th single, Richard invited 2,000 British fans to theLondon Palladium for a preview of six songs from his forthcoming album (which would beStronger), to vote on which one they liked most as the possible 100th single. Ironically, "The Best of Me" came second to "Stronger Than That", but Richard had also revealed by mistake that the latter was composed byAlan Tarney who had written most of Richard's biggest hits since 1979. Regardless, it was enough confirmation for Richard to choose "The Best of Me" with its fitting lyrics as a tribute to his audience. Coming third in the vote was "I Just Don't Have the Heart", ahead of "Joanna" and "Lean on You".[10]
The Best of Me was beaten to and kept off the top spot byJason Donovan's version ofSealed with a Kiss, produced byStock, Aitken & Waterman. Richard'sI Just Don't Have the Heart was also written and produced by SAW and, according to a contemporaryRecord Mirror article, if it had been decided to release the SAW song first, as Richard's 100th single, ".. it is wholly possible and quite probable that they'd have delayed Jason's single to allow Cliff easy access to the top spot."[11] I Just Don't Have the Heart was released as the follow-up single in August and reached no.3 in the UK.
| Chart (1989) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[12] | 59 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[13] | 32 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[14] | 55 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[15] | 2 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[16] | 25 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[8] | 2 |
| West Germany (GfK)[17] | 61 |
| Chart (1989) | Position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (OCC)[18] | 84 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[9] | Silver | 200,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
