While she is best known for her smash hit “Rose Garden,” Digital Journal looks back at one of her greatest vocal performances: “Rocky Top.”
“Ain’t no smoggy smoke on Rocky Top ain’t no telephone bills,” Anderson sings in the opening verse. “All I know is it’s a pity life can’t be simple again, Rocky Top you’ll always be… Rocky Top Tennessee,” she sings in the end.
In this song, the female narrator is reminiscing about the longing for a simpler way of life, and returning to small town life (especially in the final verse: “I’ve had years of cramped up city life trapped like a duck in a pen,” which sums up the mood pretty well). Her vocals are honey-rich, raw and lyrics. “Rocky Top” has a nostalgic vibe that will resonate well with the country listener and fan.
A live rendition of Lynn Anderson singing “Rocky Top” may be seen below:
The Osborne Brothers’ original version of the song peaked at No. 33 on the Billboard Hot Country charts in 1967, but Lynn Anderson brought it to a new peak position at No. 17 in 1970.
Ever since, the song has been covered by so many country greats as the late Tammy Wynette, as well as Dolly Parton and Crystal Gayle, who performed it in May at Adelphi University in Garden City, New York.
The Verdict
Overall, Lynn Anderson was superb on “Rocky Top.” That recording will certainly stand the test of time (as it has for the past 47 years and counting). Looking back, “Rocky Top” is a gift to the music world from a country music goddess. It garners an A rating.
To learn more about the musical legacy of the “Great Lady of Country Music” Lynn Anderson, check out her Facebook page.
