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.
Don't Say Things You Don't Mean
Lynn Anderson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't say I mean the world to you unless I really do
Don't flower up the things you say to make my life a dream
Unless you really love me don't say things you don't mean
Don't let me feel your loving arms and then push me away
Don't talk about forever if you don't plan to stay
Don't tell me that you'll be my king or that I'll be your queen
Unless you really love me don't say things you don't mean
Can't you see that everything I do is just for you
Don't flower up the things you say to make my life a dream
Unless you really love me don't say things you don't mean
Don't let me build my world around...
In Lynn Anderson's song "Don't Say Things You Don't Mean," the lyrics express the importance of honesty in relationships. The singer urges her partner not to make promises or say things that aren't true, as it can lead to disappointment and heartbreak. She emphasizes the importance of sincerity and genuineness in words and actions, warning that false promises or declarations of love can lead to shattered dreams.
The lyrics also suggest a sense of vulnerability and a fear of being hurt by false promises. The repetition of the phrase "unless you really love me" highlights the singer's desire for authenticity and dedication in the relationship. She doesn't want to invest her time and emotions into something that is not genuine or trustworthy, and she wants her partner to understand the significance of his words and actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't promise me you love me then go and leave me blue
Do not make false promises of love and then abandon me, leaving me feeling sad and hopeless.
Don't say I mean the world to you unless I really do
Do not use words of endearment unless you truly feel that way about me.
Don't flower up the things you say to make my life a dream
Do not sugarcoat your words to make things seem perfect and make my life seem like a dream unless you really mean it.
Unless you really love me don't say things you don't mean
Do not make empty promises or say things that you don't truly feel unless you genuinely love me.
Don't let me feel your loving arms and then push me away
Do not give me affection only to suddenly withdraw it and leave me feeling confused and hurt.
Don't talk about forever if you don't plan to stay
Do not make long-term commitments and promises of forever if you do not plan on staying and following through.
Don't tell me that you'll be my king or that I'll be your queen
Do not make grand statements about our relationship and future together unless you truly mean it.
Don't let me build my world around a dream that won't come true
Do not let me invest my time and emotions into a future that will not become a reality.
Can't you see that everything I do is just for you
I do everything for you and would like you to reciprocate my love and respect by not leading me on.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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