Coat of Many Colors is the eighth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton.

Parton has cited the title track on numerous occasions as her personal favorite of all the songs she has written.

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.

Parton came to prominence as a featured performer on Wagoner's television variety show from 1967-74 and they often collaborated on each other's recordings during this era.

"My Blue Tears" was re-recorded in 1978 with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt for a trio album project.

Parton re-recorded "Early Morning Breeze" for 1974's Jolene and again for inclusion as a bonus track on the Walmart edition of her 2014 album, Blue Smoke.

The bonus track "My Heart Started Breaking" was later re-recorded and included on Parton's 1975 album, Dolly.

[7] The review published in the October 16, 1971, issue of Billboard said, "The top stylist's new single, the touching ballad 'Coat of Many Colors', kicks off what should prove to be her biggest selling album to date.

This one's another bulleye–with her new single as the title track and her previous hit 'My Blue Tears' for drawing power, an extraordinary self-penned tune (even for Dolly) in 'She Never Met a Man (She Didn't Like)' for programming appeal and a trio of Porter Wagoner tunes to put the icing on the country cake.

"[16] Robert Christgau's review in his 1981 book, Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies, said, "Beginning with two absolutely classic songs, one about a mother's love and the next about a mother's sexuality, and including country music's answers to 'Triad' ('If I Lose My Mind') and 'The Celebration of the Lizard' ('The Mystery of the Mystery'), side one is genius of a purity you never encounter in rock anymore.

"[9] In 2007, John Metzger, reviewing for The Music Box, said that the album "firmly remains the artistic pinnacle of her career" because it is "brave, bold, and emotionally pure".