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.
If Silence Is Golden
Lynn Anderson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If silence is golden like they say it to be
If silence is golden then how rich I must be
Once this house with love and laughter used to sing
So much happiness through rafters seemed to ring
Now you're gone there's only silence from the bottom to the top
It's so quiet now I can almost hear a teardrop
Once this room with footsteps echoed everywhere
Sounds of happy people walking here and there
Then one day a past divided you walked out and didn't stop
It's so quiet now I can almost hear a teardrop
If silence is golden...
If silence is golden then how rich I must be
The lyrics to Lynn Anderson's song "If Silence is Golden" present a melancholic reflection on a past relationship, and the silence that ensued after the breakup. The singer ponders whether silence is as valuable as it is said to be, and if it is, then she must be quite wealthy with the amount of silence in her life since the person she used to share her home and happiness with has left. The song paints the picture of a once-lively house that is now devoid of its former life and energy. The absence of the other person is palpable in the quietness that settles over the house, even the sound of a teardrop can be heard.
The lyrics of "If Silence is Golden" are relatable to anyone who has experienced the pain of loss and the ensuing quietness that follows. The lyrics vividly capture the emptiness and loneliness that can come with the end of a relationship. The song's wistful melody is enhanced by Anderson's haunting vocals, making it a moving and evocative piece. The song is a timeless classic that still resonates with audiences today.
Line by Line Meaning
(Silence is golden)
Introducing the theme of the song
If silence is golden like they say it to be
Reflecting on the commonly held belief that being silent can be valuable and expressing curiosity about its truth
If silence is golden then how rich I must be
Acknowledging the abundance of silence in the singer's life after the departure of a loved one
Once this house with love and laughter used to sing
Describing a happier time in the house that was filled with affection and joy
So much happiness through rafters seemed to ring
Emphasizing the joyful noise that was once present in the house
Now you're gone there's only silence from the bottom to the top
Noting the stark contrast between the past and the present when the loved one is absent
It's so quiet now I can almost hear a teardrop
Commenting on the depth of the silence that surrounds the singer's life
Once this room with footsteps echoed everywhere
Evoking the memory of people walking throughout the room and making noise
Sounds of happy people walking here and there
Imagining the emotional atmosphere of the once lively place
Then one day a past divided you walked out and didn't stop
Recounting the moment when the loved one left and the silence arrived
It's so quiet now I can almost hear a teardrop
Reiterating the stillness that has engulfed the singer's life
If silence is golden...
Returning to the initial curiosity about the idea of silence being valuable
If silence is golden then how rich I must be
Concluding the song with a final statement about the abundance of silence in the singer's life
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANDERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind