I love this story. At the library last week, I sang I Had and Old Coat and read Simms Tabak's Joseph Had a Little Overcoat, which tells the story in a different way. Jerry and Bev Praver tell the story to elementary schools in yet another way, a story about a little tailor who has a coat, and he wore it and wore it, and wore it, until it was all worn out. Here's how Tabak translates the story into song at the end of his book.
-Joe Offer-

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I HAD A LITTLE OVERCOAT (Hob Ich Mir a Mantl)

I had a little overcoat, much too old to sew
La La La La La La La La La La La
Whatever could I do with it, I just didn't know
La La La La La La La La La La La
So I thought what I could do
And made myself a jacket that was almost new
La La La La La La La La La La La La La La
Made myself a jacket that was almost new

I had a little jacket, Made myself a vest…
I had a little vest, Made myself a tie…
I had a little tie, Made myself a button…

I had a little button, wherever did it go
La La La La La La La La La La La
Whatever did I do with it, I just didn't know
La La La La La La La La La La La
So I thought what I could do
But all I had was nothing, neither old nor new
La La La La La La La La La La La La La La
But all I had was nothing, neither old nor new

(-) All I had was nothing, and nothing much to sew
La La La La La La La La La La La
What could I do with nothing, I just didn't know
La La La La La La La La La La La
So I thought what I could do
And sang my-self a song and I sing this song to you
La La La La La La La La La La La La La La
Sang my-self a song and I sing this song to you

From Joseph Had a Little Overcoat, a children's book by Simms Taback, 1999

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