Scorpions-Best of Rockers 'N' Ballads (1989)
Artist: Scorpions
Title: Best of Rockers 'N' Ballads
Label: Mercury
Format: CD
Cat #: 842 002 2
Year of Release: 1989
Country and Year of Edition Issue: US BMG Record Club Edition
Listed Condition: VG+/VG+
Sell Date: 5/27/25
Sell Price: $4.85
Discogs Last Sold: 5/25/25 VG+/VG+ $2.99
Low: $0.78 12/26/21 VG+/VG+
Median: $3.00
Average: $3.20
High: $9.99 10/29/20 NM/NM
Current low price: $1.99 VG/VG
Current Number on Sale at Discogs: 23
Have/Want: 493/22
Where Sold: Vinton, VA
Time it took to sell: 2 years
Where and When Bought: Facebook CD lot
Gwiz-gau Letter Grade: B
Sad To See It Go: No
This particular compilation of the Scorpions first decade on Mercury initially seemed like a toss off to me. In fact, it was one of the bands best US sellers peaking on Billboard at #43 chart run into 1990, before their megahit "Winds of Change." It hit Platinum in 1993, so for that period of time this was the go to for the uninitiated for their big 80's hits. I didn't even know it existed, blissfully unaware of anything after World Wide Live until I saw them at Great Woods in Mansfield in 1991. Deadly Sting did a better, more expansive job in 1997 of compiling the Mercury years if you are going to get a Scorpions compilation and a generic job of Universal's Best of line renders this compilation of it's era.
I did however have Blackout and Love At First Sting in their day, so I know the Scorps biggest commercial period of this compilation well. Obviously the earlier the better: "The Zoo," "Lovedrive," "Blackout" are all top tier and radio hits such as "No One Like You" and "Rock You Like A Hurricane" are fine even though early 80's radio burnt me out on them.
I guess this is the first appearance of their Who cover "I Can't Explain" and of the rest of the material, the single "Hey You" stood out. That was a 1980 German single with "The Zoo" on the B-side. It sounds like nothing else on the record. Now it shows up on a bunch of other Scorpions comps. You also get "Holiday" the closer from Lovedrive as well as the minor 1988 hit from Savage Amusement, "Rhythm of Love" that I have absolutely no recollection of from it's time. "You Give Me All That I Need" from Blackout wasn't that big a standout for me either.
I guess that was a ballad.
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