The next Dolly Parton album I’m covering is her eighth, and one of her most beloved: 1971’s Coat of Many Colors.

This album was released just four years after her debut, meaning Parton was churning out an average of two solo albums per year. In fact, Coat of Many Colors was her third solo 1971 release. Adding to the insanity of those numbers is the fact that she released six (yes, six!) albums with Porter Wagoner during the same span.

Parton replaced Norma Jean as Wagoner’s duet partner on The Porter Wagoner Show right around the time her debut was released, and the duo eventually released 13 albums together.

If that seems like a whole lot of Dolly Parton music pumping out to country fans in the early 70s, consider that these albums generally contain ten songs that clock in at just over two minutes apiece. You can knock out an early Dolly album while brushing your teeth.

Just skimming the albums I skipped reveals some fascinating material, including ‘The Bridge,’ a song about a woman who commits suicide over a failed love affair, with Dolly ending the song in mid-verse as she jumps. Another notable selection is ‘Just Because I’m a Woman,’ which chides her husband for his jealousy over her past when his is just as sordid.

Coat of Many Colors is certainly a treasure, featuring her strong storytelling and impressive musicality. The title track is a sweet autobiographical tune about the coat Dolly’s mother made her from recycled rags, one that drew scorn in the schoolyard but became a symbol of maternal love.

The second track, ‘Traveling Man,’ shifts gears completely, depicting a young woman trying to hide an affair from her mother only to find out her mom is all too familiar with the man. It’s a fun, twisty song, but it’s also a sonic blast — check out the bass line in this beauty (courtesy of Bobby Dyson).

The rest of the album follows suit, boasting impressive production values and interesting musical choices. Parton revisited several of these songs on other recordings throughout her career, but they’re given exceptional treatments here.

Coat of Many Colors has been cited by many critics as Parton’s best album, and one of the best of its genre. I’m only two albums in, so I can’t speak to its rank in Dolly’s catalog, but I can certainly see why it has such a great reputation.