It contains no songs from what was then her most recent album, Timbre, released in 1999; instead, besides Hawkins' main singles (barring those from Timbre), it contains a variety of tracks from her first two albums that were not issued as singles, ending with an exclusive cover of "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down", originally by the Band.

The album was only released internationally, and not in Hawkins' home country of the United States.

Instead, this album replaces single "Don't Don't Tell Me No", "Let Me Love You Up" and "We Are One Body" from the previous album for Whaler track "Swing from Limb to Limb (My Home Is in Your Jungle)", the Butcher mix of "As I Lay Me Down" and another single from Tongues and Tails, "Mysteries We Understand".

This album has also been issued with the title Essential Sophie B. Hawkins.

The album was followed by yet another compilation, strangely released within the same year and titled after Hawkins' first single, "Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover".