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 Can Spot a Cheater
Lynn Anderson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wonder just how many hearts he's told he would stay
He wants a thrill and nothing more I know I've seen his kind before
I can spot a cheater a mile away
The things he says are so polite he chooses every word just right
He doesn't seem to care about what's happened yesterday
He'll hold your hand and kiss your lips your mind will take exotic trips
I can spot a cheater a mile away
I can't begin to tell you just how happy we were then
I found out and you will too his kind of love just can't be true
Here today and gone tomorrow that's the game he plays
So friend that's why I'm warning you so you'll know what you're getting into
I can spot a cheater a mile away
The lyrics to Lynn Anderson's "I Can Spot a Cheater" are about the singer's ability to identify someone who is untrustworthy in relationships. She talks about the way he smiles and flirts while leaving a trail of hurt in his wake. She wonders how many hearts he has told he would stay with before moving on to the next thrill. The singer has seen his kind before and can spot a cheater a mile away.
The lyrics go on to describe how the cheater tries to say all the right things, choosing his words carefully to make his partner feel special. He doesn't seem to care about the past, only the present moment, and will hold your hand and kiss your lips. But the singer knows that his love is not true, and that he is only playing a game. She warns her friend to be careful and not get caught up in his web of lies.
Overall, the song is a cautionary tale about the dangers of falling for someone who is not trustworthy. The singer has learned from her own experience and wants to help others avoid the same fate.
Line by Line Meaning
See the way he smiles and flirts behind him he's left miles of hurt
Observing his behavior, it's evident that he has caused a lot of emotional pain to those he has been involved with
I wonder just how many hearts he's told he would stay
One can only speculate how many people he has promised fidelity to
He wants a thrill and nothing more I know I've seen his kind before
This person is simply seeking excitement and is not interested in forming any meaningful relationships. This is a familiar pattern of behavior that I have noticed before
I can spot a cheater a mile away
Based on my observations and experiences, I am confident in my ability to identify someone who is unfaithful very easily
The things he says are so polite he chooses every word just right
He is very calculated in the way he speaks, choosing his words carefully to manipulate those around him
He doesn't seem to care about what's happened yesterday
He has no regard for the consequences of his actions and is focused only on his immediate desires
He'll hold your hand and kiss your lips your mind will take exotic trips
He will use physical affection as a way to lure you in and manipulate your thoughts and emotions to fulfill his desires
I can spot a cheater a mile away
My ability to identify someone who is unfaithful is so strong that I can do it from a great distance
Don't get me wrong I used to be in love with him
I was once romantically involved with this person and my feelings were strong
I can't begin to tell you just how happy we were then
Our relationship was once filled with joy and happiness
I found out and you will too his kind of love just can't be true
I eventually discovered that his ability to love is not genuine, and you will come to the same realization
Here today and gone tomorrow that's the game he plays
He has a pattern of quickly entering and exiting relationships, treating them like a game rather than genuine connections
So friend that's why I'm warning you so you'll know what you're getting into
As your friend, I feel obligated to inform you of his true intentions and the potential emotional damage he may cause
I can spot a cheater a mile away
Once again, my ability to identify someone who is unfaithful is very strong
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Tannen, Paul / Sutton, Glenn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind