Anderson charted 12 No. 1, 18 Top 10, and more than 50 Top 40 hits. In addition to being named "Top Female Vocalist" by the Academy of Country Music (ACM) twice and "Female Vocalist of the Year" by the Country Music Association (CMA), Anderson won a Grammy Award (earning seven nominations), People's Choice Award and an American Music Award (AMA). She was named Billboard's Female Artist of the Decade (1970–1980).
Anderson was the first female country artist to win the American Music Award (in 1974), as well as the first to headline and sellout Madison Square Garden that same year.
Anderson debuted in 1966, at the age of 19, and had her first hit with Ride, Ride, Ride. After a series of Top 10 hit singles on the country charts during the late 1960s, Anderson signed with Columbia Records in 1970. Under Columbia, she had her most successful string of hits. Her signature song, "(I Never Promised You a) Rose Garden", remains one of the biggest selling country crossover hits of all time. In addition, the song also went to No. 3 on the Billboard Pop Chart and reached the top of the charts in several countries, an unprecedented achievement at the time. CMT ranks "Rose Garden" at No. 83 on its list of the "100 Greatest Songs in Country Music History". Anderson continued to record and remained a popular concert attraction until her death, regularly headlining major casino showrooms, performing arts centers and theaters.
She grew up in Sacramento, California with her mother, acclaimed singer-songwriter Liz Anderson who wrote "The Fugitive" and "(All My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers", both Merle Haggard hits, among others. She began her solo career in 1966 with "In Person", followed by a hit with her mother's "If I Kiss You (Will You Go Away)".
In 1968 she married Glenn Sutton, a future Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, with whom she had a daughter, Lisa. (They divorced in 1977.)
Consistent hits followed, and she was a regular on The Lawrence Welk Show during the 1967-68 season. In 1969 Anderson signed to Columbia where her work veered a bit more toward a polished, pop sound. She released her signature song, "Rose Garden" in late 1970. The song, written by Joe South, won a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance reached number 1 on the U.S. country charts, and also hit number 3 on the pop charts, as well as being a hit in fifteen countries. Anderson also received Grammy nominations for her recordings "Big Girls Don't Cry" (1968), "That's a No No" (1969), and "How Can I Unlove You" (1971)> Anderson's other hits during this period included "You're My Man", "Listen to a Country Song", "Top of the World" (a number 1 country record for Anderson before becoming a pop hit for The Carpenters), "Cry", "Keep Me in Mind", "What a Man My Man Is" and "Smile For Me". In 1971, she was voted Top Female Vocalist of the year by both the Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association. Anderson charted eight no.one singles, 18 Top-Tens and earned a total of 17 international Gold records. She was perhaps the most in-demand country female vocalist on network television throughout the 1970's but after 1975 her records usually peaked in the top 20 as opposed to her earlier top ten success.
Anderson married a Louisiana businessman in 1978. The second marriage produced two more children, and she was divorced in 1982.
Anderson remained one of the top female country singers into the 1980's. Her last top ten record was 1984s "You're Welcome to Tonight". During the late 1980's and early 1990s, she received much press for her disputes with her now-divorced second husband. After spending time on her ranch, raising horses and participating in equestrian events, she began recording again in 1992.
"The Bluegrass Sessions", released in 2004, earned Anderson her first Grammy nomination in over 30 years.
That same year Anderson was arrested in Denton, Texas, for drunk driving.
The American Rose Society created and named in her honor a white and raspberry hybrid tea rose.
Anderson released a new CD of original songs entitled "Cowgirl" in 2006, all of the songs penned by her mother, the acclaimed songwriter Liz Anderson.
Desperado
Lynn Anderson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You been out ridin' fences for so long now
Oh, you're a hard one but I know that you got your reasons
These things that are pleasin' you can hurt you somehow
Don't you draw the queen of diamonds boy
She'll beat you if she's able
You know the queen of hearts is always your best bet
Now it seems to me, some fine things
Have been laid upon your table
But you only want the ones that you can't get
Desperado, oh you ain't gettin' no younger
Your pain and your hunger, they're drivin' you home
And freedom, oh freedom, well that's just some people talkin'
Your prison is walkin' through this world all alone
Don't your feet get cold in the winter time?
The sky won't snow and the sun won't shine
It's hard to tell the night time from the day
You're losin' all your highs and lows
Ain't it funny how the feelin' goes away?
Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?
Come down from your fences, open the gate
It may be rainin' but there's a rainbow above you
You better let somebody love you
(Let somebody love you)
You better let somebody love you before it's too late
In the song Desperado, Lynn Anderson shares a portrait of a man who seems to be living his life without any sense of direction or purpose. The lyrics suggest that the singer may be chasing after ideals that are illusively unattainable, leaving him feeling hopeless and unfulfilled. The chorus begs him to stop and re-evaluate his life, to come to his senses and realize that he is missing out on the things that truly matter in life, like love and connection with others. Anderson even warns against chasing after things that may seem attractive but are ultimately harmful or damaging to one's well-being. The song seems to be a plea to the singer to stop building emotional fences around himself and open up to the world, let others in, and find true happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?
Why aren't you facing reality?
You been out ridin' fences for so long now
You've been running from your problems for a while
Oh, you're a hard one but I know that you got your reasons
You act tough, but there's a reason behind it
These things that are pleasin' you can hurt you somehow
You're chasing after things that can harm you in the long run
Don't you draw the queen of diamonds boy
Don't take unnecessary risks
She'll beat you if she's able
If you take that risk, you'll lose
You know the queen of hearts is always your best bet
It's better to choose what's safe and secure
Now it seems to me, some fine things
From what I've seen, you have many good things
Have been laid upon your table
You have been blessed with opportunities
But you only want the ones that you can't get
You desire things that are out of reach
Desperado, oh you ain't gettin' no younger
Time is running out, and you're not getting any younger
Your pain and your hunger, they're drivin' you home
Your struggles are leading you back home
And freedom, oh freedom, well that's just some people talkin'
Freedom is an illusion for some
Your prison is walkin' through this world all alone
You feel trapped even when you're alone
Don't your feet get cold in the winter time?
Don't you feel lonely in hard times?
The sky won't snow and the sun won't shine
You feel like the world is against you
It's hard to tell the night time from the day
You feel lost and directionless
You're losin' all your highs and lows
You're losing your motivation and ambition
Ain't it funny how the feelin' goes away?
It's strange how feelings can come and go
Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?
Face reality and stop running away
Come down from your fences, open the gate
Stop blocking yourself and open up to possibilities
It may be rainin' but there's a rainbow above you
Even in hard times, there's always hope
You better let somebody love you
You need to open up to love
(Let somebody love you)
You better let somebody love you before it's too late
Don't wait too long to let someone love you back.
Writer(s): Glenn Lewis Frey, Don Henley
Contributed by Lucy S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@mattleinhauser9166
Always loved this beautiful woman and what a wonderful voice ❤❤❤❤
@lairdrogerdavidbeale6933
This what you caller a amazing country songwriter with so amazing beautiful voice like a Angel
@lesjacobsen8459
Phenomenal performance.
@libertyann439
She owns this song for sure!❤
@eliyahsromans9547
Her then the Petersens then the eagles
@andrewcarey5359
@@eliyahsromans9547 Right I was going to say.
@lairdrogerdavidbeale6933
Wow beautiful voice really love this song so much it brings all my good memories back to me and it maker me cry it a special to me because I lost the woman who died it was how song
@musicsurvives
her music has sure got me through rough times before. Appreciate the listen, bud!