''Big Girls Don't Cry'' is a studio album by American

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

artist

Lynn Anderson Lynn Renée Anderson (September 26, 1947 – July 30, 2015) was an American country singer and television personality. Her crossover signature recording, "Rose Garden," was a number one hit in the United States and internationally. She charte ...

. It was released in July 1968 via

Chart Records Chart Records was a country music record label of the 1960s, best known for turning Lynn Anderson into a major country star. It was owned by Slim Williamson. The label was founded in 1964. Among the artists who recorded at one time for the la ...

and was produced by Slim Williamson. The record was Anderson's third studio recording issued during her career and contained a total of 12 tracks. The

title track A title track is a song that has the same name as the album or film in which it appears. In the Korean music industry, the term is used to describe a promoted song on an album, akin to a single, regardless of the song's title. Title track may al ...

was spawned as a single from the project and became a major hit on the country charts. The album itself would also reach peak positions on music publication charts.

Background and content

''Big Girls Don't Cry'' was recorded in March 1968 at the RCA Victor Studio, which was located in

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...

. The sessions for the album were produced by Slim Williamson. It was Williamson who discovered Anderson and signed her to the Chart label in 1966. He had previously produced her studio albums '' Ride, Ride, Ride'' and '' Promises, Promises''. The album was a collection of 12 tracks. Five of the album's tracks were composed by her mother and Nashville songwriter,

Liz Anderson Liz is a female name of Hebrew origin, meaning "God's Promise". It is also a short form of Elizabeth, Elisabeth, Lisbeth, Lizanne, Liszbeth, Lizbeth, Lizabeth, Lyzbeth, Lisa, Lizette, Alyssa, and Eliza. People * Liz Balmaseda (born 1959), Pu ...

. Liz Anderson had also composed material for her daughter's previous studio releases. While the 12 tracks included original recordings, some of the songs were cover versions. Among the album's cover tunes was

Merle Haggard Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American country music singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler. Haggard was born in Oildale, California, toward the end of the Great Depression. His childhood was troubled af ...

's "

Strangers A stranger is a person who is unknown to another person or group. Because of this unknown status, a stranger may be perceived as a threat until their identity (social science), identity and Character structure, character can be ascertained. Differ ...

Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his ca ...

's "

Ring of Fire The Ring of Fire (also known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Rim of Fire, the Girdle of Fire or the Circum-Pacific belt) is a region around much of the rim of the Pacific Ocean where many volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur. The Ring o ...

" and

Margie Singleton Margaret Louise Ebey (born October 12, 1935), known professionally as Margie Singleton, is an American country music singer and songwriter. In the 1960s, she was a popular duet and solo recording artist, working with country stars George Jones ...

's "Wanderin' Mind."

Release and reception

''Big Girls Don't Cry'' was released in July 1968 on Chart Records, becoming her third studio album issued. It was issued as a

vinyl LP The LP (from "long playing" or "long play") is an analog sound storage medium, a phonograph record format characterized by: a speed of rpm; a 12- or 10-inch (30- or 25-cm) diameter; use of the "microgroove" groove specification; and a ...

, containing six songs on each side of the record. Upon its release, ''Big Girls Don't Cry'' charted on the ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

Top Country Albums Top Country Albums is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. The 50-position chart lists the most popular country music albums in the country, calculated weekly by Broadcast Data Systems based on physical sales a ...

chart. It spent a total of 18 weeks on the list before reaching number 11 in September 1968. The album was reviewed positively by music writers and publications. Following its release, ''Billboard'' magazine gave the album a positive response. "The material which includes her fine renditions of 'Honey' and 'Ring of Fire' is diversified and has appeal for all buyers," the publication wrote. In later years,

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

gave the project three out of five possible stars. The album's title track was the only single released from the project. It was also released in July 1968. Spending 14 weeks on the ''Billboard''

Hot Country Singles Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. This 50-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly by collecting airplay data from Nielsen BDS along with digital sal ...

chart, the title track reached number 12 by September, becoming her fourth major hit. In Canada, the song became a larger hit. The title track became Anderson's first to reach the number one position on the Canadian RPM Country Songs chart. It was also her second single to chart on the list.

Track listing

Personnel

All credits are adapted from the

liner notes Liner notes (also sleeve notes or album notes) are the writings found on the sleeves of LP record albums and in booklets that come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for cassettes. Origin Liner notes are desce ...

of ''Big Girls Don't Cry''. Musical and technical personnel * Lynn Anderson – lead vocals *

Lloyd Green Lloyd Lamar Green (born October 4, 1937) is an American steel guitarist noted for his extensive country music recording session career in Nashville performing on 116 Chart Hit, No.1 Country music, country hits including Tammy Wynette's “D-I-V-O- ...

– arrangement *

Jim Malloy James Malloy (May 23, 1932 – May 18, 1972), was an American racecar driver. Born in Columbus, Nebraska, Malloy's family moved to Englewood, Colorado, where he attended grade school and high school. Malloy lettered in football and baseba ...

– engineering * Tom Pick – engineering * Bill Vandevort – engineering * Slim Williamson – producer

Chart performance

Release history

References

{{Authority control 1968 albums Albums produced by Slim Williamson Chart Records albums Lynn Anderson albums