Weekly Finale: (I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden

After this week's mass hysteria, I decided a more positive song was needed for this week's musical finale.

Lynn Anderson's "(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden" is just what the doctor ordered:



Released in 1970, this version reached #1 on the country music charts and #3 on the Billboard charts.

Although the song has been covered multiple times, the covers really don't stray far from Lynn Anderson's version. However, the version by the song's writer, Joe South, is arguably the worst:



So now you know why you have heard of Lynn Anderson, but not Joe South.

As for the song itself, even though it seems to be a mild romantic criticism, it actually has one of the most positive lines in all of music:

So smile for a while and let's be jolly love shouldn't be so melancholy
Come along and share the good times while we can

That may be the best advice going into a weekend. Enjoy the good times while you can, and I will return with more blogging on Monday.