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 Might as Well Be Here Alone
Lynn Anderson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it seems that you're waiting for a knock on the door
And I might as well be here alone
We agreed to try again you promised that you would
Even moved away from all our neighborhood
But you're watching the clock that hangs on the wall
You're thinking of nights that are gone
I can tell by the way hey you're treatin' mean but I might as well be here alone
In Lynn Anderson's song, "I Might as Well Be Here Alone," the singer seems to be speaking to her partner, who appears to be distracted and disinterested. The opening lines of the song describe the partner as "watching the clock that hangs on the wall," with his hand "on the telephone." This gives the impression that he is waiting for someone or something, rather than being present in the moment with the singer. She goes on to say that it seems as though he is "waiting for a knock on the door," and as a result, she "might as well be here alone."
The second verse suggests that the couple had previously split up, but had agreed to "try again." The partner had made promises and even moved away from their previous neighborhood, but it seems that he is still preoccupied with memories of the past. The singer notes that she can tell by the way he is treating her that he is not fully present with her, even though they are physically together. She concludes by repeating the line, "I might as well be here alone," emphasizing the sense of loneliness and isolation that she feels.
Overall, the song appears to be about the difficulty of reconnecting with a partner after a period of separation, particularly when one or both parties are still focused on the past. The singer expresses a sense of resignation and sadness, as she realizes that her partner's attention is elsewhere and she feels disconnected from him.
Line by Line Meaning
You're watching the clock that hangs on the wall your hand is on the telephone
You are anxiously pacing around the room, checking the time constantly and waiting for a call or visitor.
And it seems that you're waiting for a knock on the door
You are hoping for someone to come and save you from this situation, but you don't seem to have any control over it.
And I might as well be here alone
I am here in this relationship with you, but it feels like I might as well be alone since you're so distant and disconnected from me.
We agreed to try again you promised that you would
We talked about working on our relationship and you made a promise to try harder and make things better.
Even moved away from all our neighborhood
You took a drastic step to try and put some distance between us and the problems of our past.
But you're watching the clock that hangs on the wall
Despite your efforts to change, your anxiety and restlessness continue to take over.
You're thinking of nights that are gone
Your mind is preoccupied with memories of happier times in the past, but you're not able to enjoy the present or work towards a better future.
I can tell by the way hey you're treatin' mean but I might as well be here alone
Your actions and behavior towards me show that you are emotionally unavailable and indifferent, so in a way, I am alone despite being physically with you.
We agreed to try again...
Despite the difficulties and struggles we've faced, we made a commitment to each other to work on our relationship and try to make things better.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: FARON YOUNG, GLENN SUTTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind