"Rose Garden" also became a major hit worldwide, reaching the number one spot in multiple countries.
In the years before the song's composition, South had collaborated with Bob Dylan and was inspired by his songwriting technique.
[5][4] Although South recorded his own version, Billy Joe Royal had cut "Rose Garden" first.
[7] Bruce Eder of Allmusic praised "Rose Garden" in his review of Introspect, commenting that South's version was "worth hearing".
In the United States, "Rose Garden" peaked at number 19 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 singles chart.
[10] [8] In 1970, Lynn Anderson's exposure on the Lawrence Welk Show led to the major label Columbia Records signing her to their country roster.
[13] After switching to Columbia, Anderson moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to further elevate her country music career.
It peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, spending five weeks at the top of the survey between 1970 and 1971.
David Cantwell and Bill Friskics-Warren included her 1970 recording in their 2003 book Heartaches by the Number: Country Music's 500 Greatest Singles, highlighting its arrangement.
"The opening strings, lots of them, ominous and unforgettable, snap your head back like a slap in the face", Cantwell wrote, also noting "the most pinched, manic pedal-steel guitar you've ever heard," they commented.
[26] For Allmusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine praised Anderson for "fine, sweet vocals" while calling the lyrics "appealing, albeit predictable" and the "I never promised you a rose garden" line from the chorus a cliché.
[12] Markpos Papadatos of the Digital Journal called the record "a classic country song" after announcing its 45-year anniversary.
Mary Bufwack and Robert K. Oermann commented on the song's legacy in their book Finding Their Voice: The History of Women in Country Music.
[28] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic called it "a virtual standard during the '70s," due to it being covered by multiple artists in that decade.
"As a pure pop tune, it works very well, a standout performance chock-full of backing vocalists and unique instrumentation.
This could have been a hit for Mathis, as it goes beyond the usual formula of "let's put some sweet accompaniment behind the voice and let Johnny do his thing," he commented.
[58] In 1988, Canadian synthpop group Kon Kan sampled Lynn Anderson's version of "Rose Garden" for their song "I Beg Your Pardon".
It reached the top ten of the Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Songs chart, peaking at number seven.
"[61] When reviewing Angel with a Lariat, Jack Hurst of the Chicago Tribune noted that the song's production (along with the album's other tracks) lacked a focus on lang's singing.
"Producer Dave Edmunds has supervised the making of an excellent-sounding country-rock album from the musical point of view, but he unfortunately paid little attention to lang`s singing, often covering it up entirely.
[66] Released on RCA Nashville, the single's name was stylistically changed to "(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden".
[67] McBride's version spent a total of 22 weeks on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and became a major hit by the end of the year.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic called the track a song that remains "a radio staple to this day."
Along with the other tracks on Timeless, Erlewine noted that McBride had "range, power, and subtlety as a vocalist, as well as her skill as an interpreter.
"[66] Arden Lambert of Country Thang Daily also gave McBride's version a positive review.
Martina McBride wonderfully sang the song that gave Lynn Anderson a boost in her career," Lambert commented.