Coat of Many Colors (song)
Encyclopedia
"Coat of Many Colors" is a song by Dolly Parton
, which she has described on numerous occasions as her favorite of the songs she has written. She composed the song in 1969, while traveling with Porter Wagoner
on a tour bus. (She explained in her 1994 memoires, "My Life and Other Unfinished Business", because she could find no paper, as the song came to her, she wrote it on the back of a dry cleaning
receipt from one of Wagoner's suits; when the song became a hit, Wagoner had the receipt framed.) She recorded the song in April 1971
, making it the title song for her Coat of Many Colors
album. Released as a single in August 1971, the song reached #4 on the U.S. country singles charts.
The song tells of how Parton's mother stitched together a coat for her daughter out of rags given to the family. As she sewed, she told her child the biblical
story of Joseph
and his Coat of Many Colors. The excited child, "with patches on my britches and holes in both my shoes," rushed to school, "just to find the others laughing and making fun of me" for wearing a coat made of rags.
The song concludes with Parton singing the moral of her story:
Parton kept the original coat, now on display in her Chasing Rainbows Museum
at Dollywood
. (Wagoner also donated the framed dry cleaning receipt on which Parton composed the song to the museum, where it now hangs.)
Shania Twain
recorded a cover version
of the song on the 2003 Parton tribute album Just Because I'm a Woman: Songs of Dolly Parton, with accompaniment by Alison Krauss
and Union Station. This version peaked at #57 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart based only on unsolicited airplay. Other cover versions include a 1976 recording by Emmylou Harris
on her Reprise Records
debut, Pieces of the Sky
, and a recording by Eva Cassidy
released on the 2008 posthumous collection Somewhere. The Scottish Comedian, Billy Connolly also recorded a version in 1975 on his 'Get Right Intae Him' album (Unicorn Artists). This was a serious version unlike his comical parody of another of Dolly's hits - D.I.V.O.R.C.E (D-I-V-O-R-C-E is a song made popular by Tammy Wynette).
In 2005, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
ranked Coat of Many Colors number 10 on its list of 100 Songs of the South.
A 1996 children's picture book
of the song, with illustrations by Judith Sutton, was published by Harpercollins
Children's Books.
In 2008, Kristy Lee Cook
performed this song on American Idol (season 7)
during Dolly Parton week.
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
, which she has described on numerous occasions as her favorite of the songs she has written. She composed the song in 1969, while traveling with Porter Wagoner
Porter Wagoner
Porter Wayne Wagoner was a popular American country music singer known for his flashy Nudie and Manuel suits and blond pompadour. He introduced the young Dolly Parton near the beginning of her career on his long-running television show, and they were a well-known duet throughout the late 1960s and...
on a tour bus. (She explained in her 1994 memoires, "My Life and Other Unfinished Business", because she could find no paper, as the song came to her, she wrote it on the back of a dry cleaning
Dry cleaning
Dry cleaning is any cleaning process for clothing and textiles using a chemical solvent other than water. The solvent used is typically tetrachloroethylene , abbreviated "perc" in the industry and "dry-cleaning fluid" by the public...
receipt from one of Wagoner's suits; when the song became a hit, Wagoner had the receipt framed.) She recorded the song in April 1971
1971 in music
-Events:*February 1 – after months of feuding in the press, Ginger Baker and Elvin Jones hold a "drum battle" at The Lyceum.*February 8 – Bob Dylan's hour-long documentary film, Eat the Document, is premièred at New York's Academy of Music...
, making it the title song for her Coat of Many Colors
Coat of Many Colors
-Personnel:*Dolly Parton – vocals, guitar*Billy Sanford – guitar*Dave Kirby – guitar*Jerry Shook – guitar*George McCormick – guitar*Pete Drake – pedal steel guitar*Bobby Dyson – bass*Jerry Carrigan – drums*Buck Trent – banjo*Mack Magaha – fiddle...
album. Released as a single in August 1971, the song reached #4 on the U.S. country singles charts.
The song tells of how Parton's mother stitched together a coat for her daughter out of rags given to the family. As she sewed, she told her child the biblical
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
story of Joseph
Joseph (Hebrew Bible)
Joseph is an important character in the Hebrew bible, where he connects the story of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in Canaan to the subsequent story of the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt....
and his Coat of Many Colors. The excited child, "with patches on my britches and holes in both my shoes," rushed to school, "just to find the others laughing and making fun of me" for wearing a coat made of rags.
And oh I couldn't understand it, for I felt I was rich
And I told them of the love my momma sewed in every stitch
And I told 'em all the story momma told me while she sewed
And how my coat of many colors was worth more than all their clothes
The song concludes with Parton singing the moral of her story:
One is only poor, only if they choose to be
Now I know we had no money, but I was rich as I could be
In my coat of many colors my momma made for me
Parton kept the original coat, now on display in her Chasing Rainbows Museum
Chasing Rainbows Museum
Chasing Rainbows is a museum based on the country music singer Dolly Parton. It is located in the Dollywood theme park, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, USA....
at Dollywood
Dollywood
Dollywood is a theme park owned by entertainer Dolly Parton and the Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation. It is located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Dollywood has 3,000 people on its payroll, making it the largest employer in that community....
. (Wagoner also donated the framed dry cleaning receipt on which Parton composed the song to the museum, where it now hangs.)
Shania Twain
Shania Twain
Shania Twain, OC is a Canadian country pop singer-songwriter. Her album The Woman in Me , brought her fame and her 1997 album Come On Over, became the best-selling album of all time by a female musician in any genre, and the best-selling country album of all time. It has sold over 40 million...
recorded a cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of the song on the 2003 Parton tribute album Just Because I'm a Woman: Songs of Dolly Parton, with accompaniment by Alison Krauss
Alison Krauss
Alison Maria Krauss is an American bluegrass-country singer, songwriter and fiddler. She entered the music industry at an early age, winning local contests by the age of ten and recording for the first time at fourteen. She signed with Rounder Records in 1985 and released her first solo album in...
and Union Station. This version peaked at #57 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart based only on unsolicited airplay. Other cover versions include a 1976 recording by Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris is an American singer-songwriter and musician. In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists including...
on her Reprise Records
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
debut, Pieces of the Sky
Pieces of the Sky
Pieces of the Sky is an album by Emmylou Harris, released in February 1975. It was effectively her debut.Although she had released the obscure folk-styled Gliding Bird five years earlier, Pieces of the Sky was the album that really launched the career of Emmylou Harris, and is widely considered to...
, and a recording by Eva Cassidy
Eva Cassidy
Eva Marie Cassidy was an American vocalist known for her interpretations of jazz, blues, folk, gospel, country and pop classics. In 1992 she released her first album, The Other Side, a set of duets with go-go musician Chuck Brown, followed by a live solo album, Live at Blues Alley in 1996...
released on the 2008 posthumous collection Somewhere. The Scottish Comedian, Billy Connolly also recorded a version in 1975 on his 'Get Right Intae Him' album (Unicorn Artists). This was a serious version unlike his comical parody of another of Dolly's hits - D.I.V.O.R.C.E (D-I-V-O-R-C-E is a song made popular by Tammy Wynette).
In 2005, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is the only major daily newspaper in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, and its suburbs. The AJC, as it is called, is the flagship publication of Cox Enterprises. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is the result of the merger between The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta...
ranked Coat of Many Colors number 10 on its list of 100 Songs of the South.
A 1996 children's picture book
Picture book
A picture book combines visual and verbal narratives in a book format, most often aimed at young children. The images in picture books use a range of media such as oil paints, acrylics, watercolor and pencil.Two of the earliest books with something like the format picture books still retain now...
of the song, with illustrations by Judith Sutton, was published by Harpercollins
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
Children's Books.
In 2008, Kristy Lee Cook
Kristy Lee Cook
Kristy Lee Cook is an American country singer who was born in Seattle, Washington and was the seventh place finalist on the seventh season of American Idol. In 2005 Cook released her debut album called Devoted. In June 2008, Cook signed to 19 Recordings and Arista Nashville. She released her...
performed this song on American Idol (season 7)
American Idol (season 7)
The seventh season of American Idol, the annual reality show and singing competition, began on January 15, 2008 and concluded on May 21, 2008. Ryan Seacrest continued to host the show with Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson returning as judges...
during Dolly Parton week.
Chart performance
| Chart (1971) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 4 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 15 |