Recorded in April 1971 and running to three minutes four seconds, this is another of Parton's hit songs, and the personal favorite of her own compositions. From the title one would be inclined to think it had a Biblical or religious connection; although it does, it is actually autobiographical. Parton was born in Locust Ridge, Tennessee and grew up in poverty, the fourth of 12 children, and her mother really did make her such a coat. Her classmates teased her, but Parton was proud of the coat and tried to make them understand that even though her family didn't have much money, they were rich in other, more important ways.
Parton kept the famous coat, which later became a popular attraction at her Dollywood Museum, where it is kept in an exhibit along with her handwritten lyrics to the song.
Even after Parton became a huge star, this song remained her favorite out of the 3000+ songs she had written. "It tells about the people I grew up with, it speaks well of my family and particularly my mother," she told Mojo in 2004. "My spiritual values too. I can always sing that sincerely from my heart."
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