The World Famous Ultimate Twang: Classic Album Review-Lynn Anderson "Rose Garden"

Classic Album Review-Lynn Anderson “Rose Garden”

It was December, 1970, when thanks to one single, a young country star was suddenly on top of not only the Country music world, but the worlds of Pop and Adult Contemporary, as well. That young country star was Lynn Anderson, and the song, as well as ensuing album that put her in that lofty position was “Rose Garden”. As an album, “Rose Garden” would be Lynn’s most successful effort, topping the country album charts, while reaching the pop album top twenty, and would sell over a million copies. It would end 1971 as the number one country album for the year.

The album starts with the title cut, a huge hit for Lynn, becoming her first number one country hit, while peaking at number three on the pop charts. It would also make it onto the Adult Contemporary top five. Even thirty-nine years after it’s release, it’s one of those songs that I still stop and listen to, when it comes on the radio, which is rarer and rarer, these days. You could argue it’s a perfect record, the vocal performance is perfect, the melody is perfect, and of course, Joe South’s lyrics are perfect.

Lynn follows-up with a pretty good version of Ray Price’s “For The Good Times”. Lacking the full instrumentation of the Price version, This stripped down version has a bit more of an intimate feel to it than the actual hit version. Very good track.

I haven’t listened to this album in probably at least twenty years, but despite that, the song “Another Lonely Night” is one that I can still clearly recall; it has stuck with me all that time (actually longer, since the album has been in my family since the early ’70’s), listening to it, now, it’s nothing fancy, but it’s a nice, bouncy melody that will stick in your head.

Lynn covers Tammy Wynette’s “I Don’t Want To Play House”, next, and does an acceptable version.

“Snowbird” could have easily been a Lynn Anderson standard, had it not been a big hit for Anne Murray. I would rate it as good as Anne’s version, which in itself, is a great recording. I actually think the guitar work stands out more and adds more to Lynn’s version.

Side 1 concludes with a title, “Your Sweet Love Lifted Me”. As album fillers go, this one is a good one. Good enough that it could have been a single.

Flipping the disc over and checking out side 2 (it is vinyl, after all), the side starts out with another cover, this time Johnny Cash’s “Sunday Morning Coming Down”. Not as good, of course, as Johnny’s version, but not bad. Credit Lynn and her then-producer/husband Glenn Sutton for not doing it the same as Cash, but rather trying a different feel. That feel almost comes out as what we now call a “power ballad”. Maybe just a slight gospel-ish feel, too.

“I Still Belong To You” is next. Not a bad cut, but not necessarily memorable, either.

“I Wish I Was A Little Boy Again” is an interesting cut, a woman yearning to return to a childhood of tomboydom.

In late 1970, “It’s Only Make Believe” was climbing the country and pop charts for Glen Campbell. Of course, it had originally been Conway Twitty’s first hit, in 1958. Here, Lynn gives her interpretation of this classic, and like most of the covers on the disc, doesn’t outdo the originals, but certainly gives an acceptable performance.

Weakest cut on the disc? The last cut, “Nothing Between Us”. Not that it’s a bad cut, but the rest of the album is stronger. Put this ballad on many other albums I’ve reviewed, and it would actually be considered one of the better cuts. One of those songs that I wouldn’t call bland, but doesn’t necessarily stand out, either.

I’m a bit surprised to see this album not being released as a stand-alone CD or MP3, to this point, especially considering the albums that have been reissued since the CD introduction. It’s only life as a CD, is as part of a package with her album “You’re My Man”, which looks to be out of print, but can still be found, online. Of course, numerous used vinyl copies are available, looks to be anywhere from $5 to $20.

All in all, I think it’s a great album from The Nashville Sound era. No really weak songs on this collection, and some very good covers of other hits. And of course, it never hurts to have a true classic to lead things off with. I rate this one a 5 out of 5. Are you with me? Or do you think differently? I’d love to know your opinion.