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.
Ride Ride Ride
Lynn Anderson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you don't care get on your horse and ride ride ride
Since you got on your high horse all those fancy friends you've found
You've had a hard time seeing me you're always looking down
If you don't want me baby...
You talked about me honey and you tried to tear me down
But while you're throwin' dirt at me you're slowly losing around
If you don't want me baby...
I'll have your second fiddle returned to you today
'Cause baby that's one instrument I've never learned to play
If you don't want me baby...
If you don't want me baby...
Lynn Anderson's "Ride Ride Ride" is a country song with a lot of attitude. The lyrics seem to be directed at someone who has been treating the singer poorly. The first verse suggests that the person in question might not want the singer around anymore, and the suggestion is that they should ride away on their horse. This line is delivered with a bit of a sneer, as if to say that the singer isn't all that concerned about whether or not this person stays.
The second verse begins to explain why the singer is feeling so done with this particular relationship. It seems that the other person has been hanging out with a new crowd of people and has become too good for the singer. The line "You've had a hard time seeing me you're always looking down" suggests that this person has been treating the singer with disdain or disrespect. However, the lyrics indicate that the singer isn't going to take the insult lying down. Instead, she tells the other person to ride away on their horse if they're not interested in her anymore.
The final verse of "Ride Ride Ride" continues the trend of the singer standing up for herself. She tells the other person that she doesn't need to put up with their negativity and gossip anymore. She even goes so far as to return their "second fiddle," which is a metaphor for their involvement in her life. The song ends on a memorable note, with the singer repeating the line "If you don't want me baby" three times in a row to drive home the point that she's done.
Line by Line Meaning
If you don't want me baby if you're not satisfied
If you're not happy with me, just say it
If you don't care get on your horse and ride ride ride
If you're not interested, then leave
Since you got on your high horse all those fancy friends you've found
Since you became so snobbish, you found a lot of high-class friends
You've had a hard time seeing me you're always looking down
You look down on me and don't pay attention to me
You talked about me honey and you tried to tear me down
You talked badly about me and tried to bring me down
But while you're throwin' dirt at me you're slowly losing around
While you're criticizing me, you're losing your own reputation
If you don't want me baby...
If you're still not interested in me...
I'll have your second fiddle returned to you today
I'll return the role of being your second choice to you
'Cause baby that's one instrument I've never learned to play
Because being someone's second choice is something I'm not willing to do
If you don't want me baby...
If you're still not interested in me...
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANDERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
E and S M
Who doesn't love Lynn?! What a voice!
RALPH FLORI
a masterpiece
Perry Strebel
Wonderful!...wonderful!!!
Rob R.
WOW Lawrence Welk discovered her, that's a YOUNG Lynn Anderson love that 👍
dave whitley
she was beautiful, lost her way too soon
Seven
Totally agree!
Nita Norman
Who’d thought we’d be here in 2021.
Michaela Vévodova
🤗
Pam
😊
Michelle M.
Catchy little country tune, but are they lip sticking? The track sounds canned.