Rest In Peace, Dolly

Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80 after a phenomenal life. In addition to her prolific career in country music singing and songwriting, there have been memorable appearances as an actor and her incredible life filled with philanthropy and advocacy. 

I can't share any of her music here, however here are a few of her quotes which will give you an idea of her character:

"The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."

"You have to work at being happy. Some people work at being miserable. 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."

"I always love working with children. I never had children of my own. God has his purposes. God didn’t let me have children so everybody’s children could be mine. That’s kind of how I’m looking at it."

"Storms make trees take deeper roots."

"Love is something sent from heaven above to worry the hell out of you."

"I think everyone should be with who they love. I don’t want to be controversial or stir up a bunch of trouble, but people are going to love who they are going to love. I think gay couples should be allowed to marry. They should suffer just like us heterosexuals."

"I just depend on a lot of prayer and meditation. I believe that without God I am nobody, but that with God, I can do anything."

"When I'm done, I can rest in peace knowing I've done my best. I hope that when my time comes, I'll leave something behind that others can use to lift themselves up."

Q is for Quilt (Coat Of Many Colours)

Coat of Many Colours is a song written and recorded by Dolly Parton. A true story, it tells of how Parton's mother stitched together a coat for her young daughter out of rags given to the family, just like a patchwork quilt. As she sewed, she told her child the biblical story of Joseph and his Coat of Many Colours (from the book of Genesis). When Parton wore the coat, the local kids just made fun of her.

Parton composed the song in 1969, recording it in April 1971. It reached number 4 on the U.S. country singles charts. Parton also admits that this is the favourite of the many songs she has written.

Up Above The Streets And Houses...

The references to 'rainbow' in my recent blog on 'True Colours' brings up a familiar and recurring theme, more so perhaps for my good friend Don than me. An exploration of rainbows would not be complete without a reference to Geoffrey, Zippy and Bungle in the popular kids show, so hence my title to this entry. However, rainbows feature far widely culturally, inspiring man across the years.

You could include references to Bifröst, which in Norse mythology is the rainbow bridge leading from Midgard, the realm of mortals, to Asgard, the realm of the gods, which the gods travel daily.

We've mentioned Cyndi Lauper's earlier hit, but of course there are other musical references:

Look, look, look to the rainbow, Follow it over the hill and stream

Look, look, look to the rainbow, Follow the fellow who follows the dream.
"Look to the Rainbow" by E. Y. Harburg (Yip Harburg) and Burton Lane from the musical play (and motion picture) Finian's Rainbow

Some day I'll wish upon a star And wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where troubles melt like lemondrops Away above the chimney tops, That's where you'll find me.
Somewhere over the rainbow Bluebirds fly. Birds fly over the rainbow, Why then, oh why can't I?
"Somewhere Over the Rainbow", lyrics by Yip Harburg, music by Harold Arlen, from The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Some further quotations:

And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. 

Without the rain, there would be no rainbow - Gilbert K. Chesterton

The way I see it, if you want the rainbow you gotta be willing to put up with the rain - Dolly Parton

My heart leaps up when I behold 

A rainbow in the sky! - William Wordsworth

More on rainbows later this week...