On this day (October 30) in 1971, Dolly Parton released “Coat of Many Colors” as the second single from the album of the same name. It peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and went on to be one of Parton’s signature songs. Moreover, its lyrics give listeners a look at Parton’s upbringing and the conditions that led her to be the generous philanthropist she is today.
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Parton has often talked about growing up in poverty in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. She has also written many songs about her childhood. For instance, “My Tennessee Mountain Home” and “In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)” cover the topic. However, neither of those captures the struggles of being a child of poverty like “Coat of Many Colors.”
The song recalls the true story of a time when Parton’s mother used a box of donated rags to make her a coat. She was proud of the handmade garment. Unfortunately, she learned that children can be cruel when she wore the coat to school and received ridicule from her classmates. She didn’t let the experience make her bitter, though. Instead, it taught her that there are more important things in the world than money or possessions. One could draw a parallel between her impoverished upbringing and her willingness to give generously to those in need, especially the people in and around her hometown of Sevierville, Tennessee.
Dolly Parton Fittingly Wrote “Coat of Many Colors” on a Discarded Receipt
Much like the titular garment, Dolly Parton didn’t have pristine materials on hand when the idea for the song struck her.
It was 1969, and she was on tour with Porter Wagoner when the song came to her. She searched their tour bus for a sheet of paper, but couldn’t find one. Instead, she used the dry cleaning receipt from one of Wagoner’s suits. When the song became a hit, Wagoner framed the receipt.
Today, fans can see the framed receipt and a replica of the coat at the Chasing Rainbows Museum at Dollywood.
