When you think of your favorite singer, what do you think of first? The person, or a specific song? When I think of U2 and Bono, I think of the song “With Or Without You.” When I think of Dolly Parton, I hear the echoes of “Jolene” playing in my mind.

But has anyone thought to ask the singers which of their songs that mean the most to them? Well, someone finally asked Dolly Parton. With 25 of her songs having reached No. 1 on Billboard, there is only one that means the most to her. And it wasn’t “Jolene”.

“Well, I’m proud of all of them,” said Parton, 78. “(But) I think the one that’s most personal to me is the lil’ ‘Coat of Many Colors,’ because it talks about my mom, my parents, and kind of gives you an insight. It also covers bullying, acceptance and all that.”

The Parton family at Christmas, 1960, with Dolly standing back right. Photo by Nancy Barr Brandon

The song was released in September 1971, and she has often spoken about how the track was inspired by her mom making a coat for her out of rags the family had lying around. When she was asked by fans if the hardships she experienced growing up helped her throughout her career.

“Everybody where we grew up had a hard time,” she said. “We were mountain people. Most people were poor, but we didn’t realize that we were poor until some smart-head said so.”

Time, Parton said, helped her gain perspective on how she grew up. “Everybody around us lived the same way, but you don’t think about that until you’re away. We had good parents, but we didn’t have all the big luxuries that I’m able to afford now,” she said.

But I wouldn’t trade it for nothing. The only thing I regret is that my parents had a hard time, but they never complained, so why should I? That’s made me who I am, so I’m grateful.

For Parton, she smiles at the idea of retiring. It’s something that isn’t likely in her future. “I always say I’ve dreamed myself into a corner. I’ve got to keep all those dreams alive. Every dream spins off into some something else,” she said.

Dolly Parton wearing her coat of many colors. Photo by NBC

“It’s misinformation when I said I was not touring any more. I still do shows,” Parton added. “I just don’t go on the full-blown tours where I go overseas for weeks. I’m older, my husband’s older, and I want to be with him more.”

And of course, the “Coat of Many Colors” singer knows that life can be hard. But Parton said that the best advice she can give is what she follows herself. “You have to work at being happy. Some people work at being miserable,” she said.

“If I wake up in the morning and don’t feel great or things are not great, I try to think about what I can do to make things work better, rather than just falling into that deep hole, because then you just go deeper and deeper,” Parton said.

And she knows just trying your best leads to being happier. “I just try to have a good attitude and make things right; to be grateful for the things I have, thank God, and look for spiritual strength for myself.”

Sources: People | The Guardian