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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Three decades after Dolly Parton began exploiting (and mythologizing) her hardscrabble East Tennessee childhood, the best of her autobiographical songs, "Coat of Many Colors," which threads the Biblical story of Joseph into her own, remains a moving testimony to mountain pride and ingenuity. It may also be one of the truest pieces of Americana, but the 1971 album on which it appears, long out of print until this 1999 CD reissue, is a real eye-opener, and not just about how deep-dish country used to be. Along with the hit "Traveling Man," a maternal twist on the old farmer's daughter saw, Parton explores such gothic topics as whoring ("She Never Met a Man (She Didn't Like)"), sexual voyeurism ("If I Lose My Mind"), and good old-fashioned lust ("The Way I See You"). Whew! No wonder she left country for the pop crowd! --Alanna Nash
Product Description
Her 1971 breakthrough plus four unissued bonus cuts (including a My Blue Tears demo)! The original version of that hit and the title smash are here, too, plus Traveling Man; Here I Am; If I Lose My Mind , and more.
--This text refers to an alternate
Audio CD
edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Album better than the bonuses.,
By
This review is from: Coat of Many Colors (Audio CD)
This is one of three titles re-issued of Dolly Parton. This one, along with "Jolene" have been issued on CD several times already. So the draw here are the bonus tracks. In this case the album as a whole is better than the bonus tracks. The bonus tracks are good, but nothing that stands out and knocks you over. The acoustic "My Blue Tears" is the best of the bunch though. As for the original album, some classic tracks here. One Dolly's stronger early albums.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A perfect Parton LP from 1971 w/bonus tracks,
By
This review is from: Coat of Many Colors (Audio CD)
For an artist of Parton's stature, it's incredible that her towering early achievements are so spottily available on CD. Many of her brilliant solo albums of the '70s - the sides waxed before crossing over to pop stardom - have been left unreissued. The few that have seen CD, such as this classic 1971 release, have moved in and out of print. Buddha provided a straight-up reissue in 1999, and an imported two-fer on BMG paired this title with Parton's "Joshua" LP. The domestic Buddha release is now replaced by this bonus-track augmented Legacy reissue, but fans that want the extra tracks here and "Joshua" on the import will buy themselves some duplication.
Parton's early years under the tutelage of Porter Wagoner were rich in material and performances, and "Coat of Many Colors" contains some of her best. The title track weaves biography, bible verse and gospel soul into one of Parton's most heart-rending compositions. Her words capture the emotional turmoil of childhood through the discovery of an adult's nostalgic memory, and her voice holds both a little girl's confusion and a women's knowingness. It's breathtaking to hear songwriting, singing and production mesh so fully. The unrivaled quality of Parton's voice is heard on the bluegrass-harmony backed "My Blue Tears" and the forthright "She Never Met a Man (She Didn't Like)." Parton's sassy comedic edge, which would carry her into the mainstream, is heard on "Traveling Man," and the outré "If I Lose My Mind" must have shocked a few country listeners in 1971. The backings include fiddle, steel, twangy guitar, funky swamp beats and even a touch of '70s soul, and it's a testament to Parton's artistic gravity that it meshes so well into an album. The reissue's four bonus tracks include three cast-offs from the original 1971 sessions, and the a superb acoustic demo of "My Blue Tears." Parton rerecorded her own "My Heart Started Breaking" for her 1975 "Dolly" LP, but this 1971 version's never been heard before. Her "Just as Good as Gone" was left to the songbook, and her rendition of Porter Wagoner's "The Tender Touch of Love" now joins the previously released edition by Jim Ed Brown. All three of the studio-produced bonuses fit the sound and feel of the album, but it's the voice-and-guitar demo of "My Blue Tears" that catapults this disc past earlier reissues. Legacy's reissue (along with accompanying volumes of "My Tennessee Mountain Home" and "Jolene") fills out the packaging with newly struck liner notes by Chet Flippo and chart and session information that was missing from the earlier Buddha edition. The running time is still short (38 minutes, instead of the original LP's 27), but it's a great place to start a Dolly Parton collection; those who own the earlier CD reissue should consider upgrading for the bonus tracks and new booklet. [©2007 hyperbolium dot com]
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect example of Parton's earlier work,
By
This review is from: Coat of Many Colors (Audio CD)
Parton's years under the tutelage (and to a large extent, control) of Porter Wagoner were rich in good material and performances, even if they didn't produce the sort of enormous popular acclaim she would later find. 1971's "Coat of Many Colors" is a perfect example of the brilliant work Parton was recording during these years, including the gospel inflections of the signature title tune, the bluegrass harmonies of "My Blue Tears," and the more outre subject matter of "If I Lose My Mind" and "She Never Met a Man (She Didn't Like)."The title track attests to Parton's brilliance as a songwriter, capturing the emotional turmoil of childhood through the discovery of an adult's nostalgic memory. Parton's voice holds both a little girl's confusion and a woman's knowingness, underlined by acoustic guitar, a light shuffle beat, and touches of gospel organ and background harmonies. It's breathtaking to hear songwriting, singing and production mesh so fully. Throughout the rest of the album Parton's songs, augmented by a trio of tunes from Wagoner, tell human stories in a language that seems effortlessly plainspoken. The productions remain light and supportive, spanning weepy steel and fiddle ("The Mystery of the Mystery"), twangy electric guitar and a funky swamp beat ("Traveling Man"), and 70s soul ("Here I am"). Buddha's reissue presents a crisp remastering of the album's original ten tracks. Parton's original handwritten liner notes are reproduced in reduced form, necessitating a magnifying glass for most readers. Robyn Flans newly penned notes provide a few short paragraphs of career background, but haven't the room to make much of a dent in explaining the album and its songs. Ironically, the reissue credits for the Buddha staff fill an entire column, while a personnel listing for the original players is missing. And that's a shame, because the studio pickers give welcome, understated performances that support Parton's songwriting without drowning her finely crafted words in countrypolitan dross. With most of Parton's albums from this era out of print, those wishing to dig deeper than greatest hits compilations will find this a welcome addition to their collections. For those just discovering Parton's early years, this is (despite its brevity - the entire disc clocks in at just over 27 minutes) as good an introduction as you'll find.
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