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.
I'd Run A Mile to You
Lynn Anderson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's so many things we both could blame it on
I only know these arms of mine don't want somebody new
And if you take a step toward me I'd run a mile to you
Your lips are telling me to go away while your eyes are saying you want me to stay
If your heart could read my mind it'd know exactly what to do
You take a step toward me I'd run a mile to you
When just one simple I love you would cause us both to stay
Let's don't let pride destroy the dreams we both know could come true
If you take a step toward me I'd run a mile to you
If you take a step toward me I'd run a mile to you
The lyrics of Lynn Anderson's song "I'd Run a Mile to You" depict a complex situation in a failing relationship. The singer expresses confusion about where their love went wrong and acknowledges that both parties could place blame. Despite the difficulties, the singer reveals their unwillingness to move on and their desire to salvage the connection. The first verse emphasizes the singer's hesitation to start a new relationship, as their arms still long for their partner. The second verse reflects the mixed signals the singer receives from their partner. While their lips tell them to leave, their eyes convey a desire for them to stay. The singer suggests that if their partner could understand their thoughts and feelings, they would know that they are willing to go the extra mile to make things work.
The lyrics imply that the bond between the couple is too valuable to throw away, and it would be a shame to let pride destroy the potential for a shared future. The last verse highlights the importance of open communication and expressing love. The singer believes that a simple declaration of love would be enough to resolve their issues and bring them back together. Overall, the song expresses the bittersweet nature of a failing relationship and the willingness of one person to put in the effort to reconcile.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know exactly where our love went wrong
I am uncertain about the exact moment when our love started to deteriorate
There's so many things we both could blame it on
There are numerous reasons that we can attribute the downfall of our relationship to
I only know these arms of mine don't want somebody new
I am aware that my arms long to hold only you and no one else
And if you take a step toward me I'd run a mile to you
If you show any willingness to reconcile, I will go to great lengths to be with you
Your lips are telling me to go away while your eyes are saying you want me to stay
Your words urge me to leave, but the longing in your eyes reveals your desire for me to remain
If your heart could read my mind it'd know exactly what to do
If your feelings could understand my thoughts, it would understand the necessary actions we should take
You take a step toward me I'd run a mile to you
If you display any inclination to approach me, I would eagerly traverse a great distance to be with you
It seems a shame to throw so many happy years away
It feels regretful to discard the countless joyful years we have shared
When just one simple I love you would cause us both to stay
A single admission of love would be enough for both of us to choose to remain together
Let's don't let pride destroy the dreams we both know could come true
We must not allow our pride to ruin the aspirations we both know have the potential to be fulfilled
If you take a step toward me I'd run a mile to you
If you make the effort to move closer to me, I am willing to do whatever it takes to be with you
If you take a step toward me I'd run a mile to you
If you indicate a desire to approach me, I would go to great lengths to be by your side
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GLENN SUTTON, MAC CURTIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind