THE COLOURFUL COAT OF LOVE

I fell in love with this song the moment I hear it.

I was really touched by the lyrics.

It's a song about a mother's love and also, about gratitude.

In short, it's about how one could be so poor but yet feel so rich.

Originally sang by Dolly Parton, the version I heard was by Shania Twain, which was brilliantly covered by this beautiful country singer, who happened to be one of my favourites.

You know, really, I just love country music. They are stories told through melodic lines and that's why I think they are brilliant. I know, I know,...many people just don't get it but seriously, I can't get enough of country songs.

"Coat of Many Colours" tell about how this little girl got a box of old rags. For some, I bet you'll think that old rags are worth nothing and most probably, we'd throw them away. But this little girl's mama improvised and made a colourful coat out of them rags for her since fall is turning in.

The girl knew that though it seems that they are poor, the truth is, she felt rich because she had her mama's love. The colourful coat signifies how something that is deemed worthless can in fact be such a priceless possession - that a family in poverty can actually feel so rich. I mean, where in the world can you get a colourful coat sew with the threads enriched with a mama's love? It's the one and only coat in the world and this little girl has it. So it's safe to say that she is richer than Paris Hilton who probably buys her clothes from Gucci & Prada, which probably are not even exclusive. Even if there are the only design in the world, the outfit just doesn't have the touches of love in them (which probably explains why Paris Hilton never seemed to understand the true meaning of being in love...opps! No defamation here...)

This song kinda reminds me of what my grandma told us (me and my cousins) the other day.

She told us that times were hard for them (my grandpa, grandma, my dad & my aunts) but they were happy. I remember those exact words she told us at the restaurant, where we were enjoying our Western food. How ironic. A hardship story in a well-lit, kinda lavish restaurant. In many ways, I knew that I've been born into a great life. I wasn't as poor as my dad back then and I have most of the things that I wanted. Therefore, I guess I never truly understand what it's like to be poor but feel rich.  But then again, I'm not like those spoiled rich brat because I'm so not rich too...I'd say I'm gladly placed in the middle class range but I know my dad had always wanted me and my siblings to be more frugal haha. But I'll say that most of the times, I feel blessed and lucky I couldn't wish for anything more, and thus, I'd say that I do feel 'rich' in many ways. Again, like the song says, it's how you choose to see yourself that matters. Be proud of what you are and where you come from.

Anyway, I love love this song by Dolly Parton and I think it'll serve as a friendly reminder for me to stay grateful and learn to appreciate love and the simplest things in life.

Enjoy...

This is the original version by Dolly Parton

Then Shania serenades us with her rendition...

You can sing along to this one since there are lyrics haha...

Cheers~

Back through the years 
I go wonderin' once again 
Back to the seasons of my youth 
I recall a box of rags that someone gave us 
And how my momma put the rags to use 
There were rags of many colors 
Every piece was small 
And I didn't have a coat 
And it was way down in the fall 
Momma sewed the rags together 
Sewin' every piece with love 
She made my coat of many colors 
That I was so proud of 
As she sewed, she told a story 
From the bible, she had read 
About a coat of many colors 
Joseph wore and then she said 
Perhaps this coat will bring you 
Good luck and happiness 
And I just couldn't wait to wear it 
And momma blessed it with a kiss 

Chorus: 
My coat of many colors 
That my momma made for me 
Made only from rags 
But I wore it so proudly 
Although we had no money 
I was rich as I could be 
In my coat of many colors 
My momma made for me 
So with patches on my britches 
Holes in both my shoes 
In my coat of many colors 
I hurried off to school 
Just to find the others laughing 
And making fun of me 
In my coat of many colors 
My momma made for me 
And oh I couldn't understand it 
For I felt I was rich 
And I told them of the love 
My momma sewed in every stitch 
And I told 'em all the story 
Momma told me while she sewed 
And how my coat of many colors 
Was worth more than all their clothes 
But they didn't understand it 
And I tried to make them see 
That one is only poor 
Only if they choose to be 
Now I know we had no money 
But I was rich as I could be 
In my coat of many colors 
My momma made for me 
Made just for me

With Lotsa Lurve to give,

TammYC counting down to Chinese New Year

Gong Xi Gong Xi Gong Xi Ni...