Coat of Many Colors is the eighth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on October 4, 1971, by RCA Victor. The album was nominated for Album of the Year at the 1972 CMA Awards. It also appeared on Time magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Albums of All Time and at No. 257 on Rolling Stone's 2020 list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Parton has cited the title track on numerous occasions as her personal favorite of all the songs she has written. The release of the album alongside The Golden Streets of Glory and Joshua marks the highest number of albums Parton released in a single year.
The album was produced by Bob Ferguson. It peaked at number seven on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The album's two singles, "My Blue Tears" and the title track, peaked at number 17 and number 4, respectively, on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The title track has been inducted into the Library of Congress National Recording Registry and the Grammy Hall of Fame. The album is widely regarded as one of Dolly's early artistic peaks.
The album was reissued on cassette in Canada in 1985. It was reissued on CD for the first time in 1999. It was reissued on CD in Europe in 2001 with 1971's Joshua. The album was reissued on CD again in 2007 featuring four previously unreleased tracks. In 2010, Sony Music reissued the 2007 CD in a triple-feature set with 1973's My Tennessee Mountain Home and 1974's Jolene.
?Recording sessions for the album took place at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee, on April 16 and 27, 1971. Three tracks on the album were recording during sessions for previous albums. "She Never Met a Man (She Didn't Like)" and "A Better Place to Live" were recorded during the October 30, 1969 session for 1970's The Fairest of Them All and "Early Morning Breeze" was recorded during the January 26, 1971 session for 1971's Joshua.
October 30, 1969 She Never Met a Man (She Didn't Like) A Better Place to Live
January 26, 1971 Early Morning Breeze
April 16, 1971 My Blue Tears Traveling Man
April 27, 1971 If I Lose My Mind Coat of Many Colors Here I Am The Mystery of the Mystery The Way I See You
The title track of the album, "Coat of Many Colors," narrates the story of how Dolly's mother crafted a coat for her from scraps provided to the family. While sewing, she recounted the biblical tale of Joseph and his coat of many colors. An enthusiastic young Dolly, "with patches on my britches and holes in both my shoes," hurried to school, only to discover that her peers were laughing and mocking her for wearing a coat made from rags. "Traveling Man" presents a unique love triangle involving a traveling salesman, a woman, and her mother. The entirety of the album was penned by Dolly, with the exception of three songs written by Porter Wagoner. ? Over the years, Dolly would re-record a number of songs from the album. "Traveling Man" was re-recorded in 1973 for Dolly's Bubbling Over album. "My Blue Tears" was re-recorded in 1978 with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt for an ill-fated Trio album. The recording would eventually surface on Ronstadt's 1982 album, Get Closer. Dolly also cut the song for a third time, including it on her 2001 album, Little Sparrow. Dolly re-recorded "Early Morning Breeze" for 1974's Jolene and again as a bonus track for her 2014 album, Blue Smoke. "My Heart Started Breaking," a bonus track on the 2007 CD reissue, was later re-recorded and included on Dolly's 1975 album, Dolly. Another bonus track from the 2007 CD, "God's Coloring Book," was later re-recorded for Dolly's 1977 album, Here You Come Again. Dolly was featured on Margo O'Donnell's version for her 1998 album, ?The Highway of My Life: Shade of the Family Tree. She was also featured on Charley Pride's cover for his 2006 album, Pride and Joy: A Gospel Music Collection. Dolly recorded a new solo version for inclusion on the 2007 UK compilation, Singer, Songwriter & Legendary Performer. She re-recorded "Here I Am" as a duet with Sia for the 2018 soundtrack album, Dumplin'.
Dolly has also re-recorded "Coat of Many Colors" a few times. She provided harmony vocals, along with Alison Krauss & Union Station, on Shania Twain's cover for the 2003 tribute album Just Because I'm a Woman: Songs of Dolly Parton. She recorded a new version for inclusion on the 2007 UK compilation Singer, Songwriter & Legendary Performer. She recorded another version for her 2012 audiobook Dream More: Celebrate the Dreamer in You. Another version was recorded for Dolly's 2017 children's album, I Believe in You.
The album's first single, "My Blue Tears," was released on June 14, 1971, and debuted at number 58 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated July 17. It peaked at number 17 on the chart dated September 4, its eighth week on the chart. The single charted for 12 weeks. It also peaked at number 13 on the Cashbox Country Singles chart. The single peaked at number four in Canada on the RPM Country Singles chart.
The second single, "Coat of Many Colors," was released on September 27, 1971, and debuted at number 65 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated October 30. It peaked at number four on the chart dated December 25, its ninth week on the chart. It charted for 16 weeks. It also peaked at number six on the Cashbox Country Singles chart. The single peaked at number 15 in Canada on the RPM Country Singles chart and number 60 in Australia.
The album was nominated for Album of the Year at the 6th Annual Country Music Association Awards in 1972. ? In 2006, the album appeared on Time magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Albums of All Time. In 2003 the album was ranked number 299 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, with the ranking dropping to number 301 in the 2012 update and climbing to number 257 in the 2020 reboot of the list. In 2017, National Public Radio ranked the album number 11 on their list of the 150 greatest albums made by women.
"Coat of Many Colors" received a Songwriter Achievement Award in 1972 from Nashville Songwriters Association International. It was inducted into the Library of Congress National Recording Registry in 2012 and the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2019. It was also awarded a Million-Air Award from BMI in 2020 for reaching over one million broadcast performances.
Original album Joe Babcock – background vocals David Briggs – piano Jerry Carrigan – drums Pete Drake – steel guitar Bobby Dyson – bass Dolores Edgin – background vocals Bob Ferguson – producer Johnny Gimble – fiddle Dave Kirby – guitar Les Leverett – photo of cover painting Mack Magaha – fiddle George McCormick – guitar Al Pachucki – recording engineer June Page – background vocals ?Dolly Parton – lead vocals, guitar ?Hargus "Pig" Robbins – piano Billy Sanford – guitar Roy Shockley – recording technician Jerry Shook – guitar Buddy Spicher – fiddle Buck Trent – banjo?
2007 CD reissue bonus tracks Joe Babcock – background vocals ?David Briggs – piano ?Jerry Carrigan – drums Pete Drake – steel guitar Bobby Dyson – bass Dolores Edgin – background vocals Bob Ferguson – producer Dave Kirby – guitar Mack Magaha – fiddle George McCormick – guitar June Page – background vocals Dolly Parton – vocals, guitar Hargus "Pig" Robbins – piano Jerry Shook – guitar Buddy Spicher – fiddle Buck Trent – banjo
