Parton began performing as a child, singing on local radio and television in East Tennessee. At age 12 she was appearing on Knoxville TV, and at 13, she was recording on a small label and appearing at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. When she graduated from high school in 1964 she moved to Nashville, taking many traditional elements of folklore and popular music from East Tennessee with her.
Parton's initial success came as a songwriter, with her songs being covered by Kitty Wells, Hank Williams, Jr., Skeeter Davis, and a number of others. She signed with Monument Records in late 1965, where she was initially pitched as a bubblegum pop singer, earning only one national chart single, "Happy, Happy Birthday Baby," which did not crack the Billboard Top 100. Additional pop singles also failed to chart.
The label agreed to have Parton sing country music after her composition "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" as recorded by Bill Phillips (and with Parton, uncredited, on harmony) went to No. 6 on the country charts in 1966. Her first country single, "Dumb Blonde" (one of the few songs during this era that she recorded but didn't write), reached No. 24 country 1967, followed later the same year with "Something Fishy," which went to No. 17. The two songs anchored her first full-length album, Hello I'm Dolly, that same year.
In 1967, Parton was asked to join the weekly syndicated country music TV program hosted by Porter Wagoner, replacing Norma Jean. She also signed with RCA Records, Wagoner's label, during this period, where she would remain for the next two decades. Wagoner and Parton immediately began a hugely successful career as a vocal duet in addition to their solo work and their first single together, a cover of Tom Paxton's "The Last Thing on My Mind," reached the top ten on the U.S. country charts in late 1967, and was the first of over a dozen duet singles to chart for them during the next several years.
Parton is a hugely successful songwriter, having begun by writing country songs with strong elements of folk music in them based upon her upbringing in humble mountain surroundings. Her songs "Coat of Many Colors" and "Jolene" have become classics in the field, as have a number of others. As a composer, she is also regarded as one of country music's most gifted storytellers, with many of her narrative songs based on persons and events from her childhood.
In 1982 Dolly Parton sang her song "I Will Always Love You", for the movie "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas", starring Parton and Burt Reynolds. The song - originally composed around 1974 - made few ripples, but it wasn't until Whitney Houston re-recorded it for "The Bodyguard" a decade later, that the song made yet another international hit for Dolly Parton. She later put out her own version on the 1996 album of the same name.
In 1987, Parton left her longtime label, RCA, and signed with Columbia Records, where her recording career continued to prosper, but by the mid 1990s, Parton, along with many other performers of her generation, found that her new music was not welcome on country radio playlists. She recorded a series of critically acclaimed bluegrass albums, beginning with "The Grass is Blue" (1999) and "Little Sparrow" (2001), both of which won Grammy Awards. Her 2002 album "Halos and Horns" included a bluegrass version of the Led Zeppelin classic Stairway to Heaven. In 2005, Parton released Those Were The Days, her interpretation of hits from the folk-rock era of the late 1960s through early 1970s. The CD featured such classics as John Lennon's "Imagine," Cat Stevens' "Where Do The Children Play," Tommy James' "Crimson & Clover," and the folk classic "Where Have All The Flowers Gone", as well as the title track.
In 2007, Dolly paved new musical ground by forming her own record label, Dolly Records. The label's first release - Backwoods Barbie - debuted at #2 on the Billboard country albums charts and marks Parton's first mainstream country album in 17 years. Parton is touring North America and Europe throughout 2008 in support of her latest release.
1955
Seeker
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A poor sinful creature
There is no weaker than I am
I am a seeker
You are a teacher
You are a reacher
So reach down
Guide me and keep me
In the shelter of Your care each day
'Cause I am a seeker
You are a keeper
You are the leader
Won't You show me the way
I am a vessel that's empty and useless
I am a bad seed that fell by the way
I am a loser that wants to be a winner
And You are my last hope
Don't turn me away
I am a seeker
A poor sinful creature
There is no weaker than I am
I am a seeker
You are a teacher
You are a reacher
So reach down
Won't You reach out and lead me
Guide me and keep me, lord
In the shelter of Your care each day
'Cause I am a seeker
You are a keeper
You are the leader
Won't You show me the way
Oh, I know, You are a mountain
From which there flows a fountain
So let its water wash my sins away, mm
Well, I am a seeker
You are a keeper
You are the leader
Won't You show me the way, mm
In this song, Dolly Parton expresses her vulnerability and humility as she acknowledges her weaknesses and shortcomings as a human being. She likens herself to a seeker, a poor and sinful creature who is in need of guidance and care. She then addresses a teacher, a reacher, and asks for his or her help. She pleads to be led, guided, and kept in the shelter of the teacher's care each day.
Parton continues to describe herself as an empty and useless vessel, a bad seed that fell by the wayside, and a loser who wants to become a winner. She acknowledges that the teacher is her last hope and beseeches him or her not to turn her away. She asks to be shown the way to redemption, and to have her sins washed away by the fountain that flows from the mountain.
Line by Line Meaning
I am a seeker
I am a person who is searching for meaning and truth in life.
A poor sinful creature
I am a simple human being who has sinned and is flawed.
There is no weaker than I am
I am in a position of great vulnerability and helplessness.
You are a teacher
You are someone who has knowledge and can impart it to others.
You are a reacher
You are someone who reaches out to others to help them.
So reach down
Please extend your assistance to me.
Won't you reach out and lead me
Please guide me and help me find my way.
Guide me and keep me
Please provide me with guidance and protection.
In the shelter of your care each day
Please provide me with a safe place to stay under your protection.
'Cause I am a seeker
I need your help because I am trying to find my way.
You are a keeper
You are someone who can provide safety and security.
You are the leader
You are someone who can guide and show the way.
Won't you show me the way
Please help me and show me what to do.
I am a vessel that's empty and useless
I am someone who has no purpose or meaning in life.
I am a bad seed that fell by the way
I am someone who has made poor choices and gone astray.
I am a loser that wants to be a winner
I am someone who wants to succeed and overcome my difficulties.
And you are my last hope
You are my final chance for help and salvation.
Oh, I know you are a mountain
I know that you are strong and powerful.
From which there flows a fountain
From you, there is a source of abundance and goodness.
So let its water wash my sins away
Please help me to cleanse my soul and be forgiven for my mistakes.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dolly Parton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@carolmooney822
What a voice Dolly, you are amazing.
@francisbarkasau6731
Long life dolly, God uses your gift to bless his people.
@robertasolomon7052
That. Song. IS. Beatfull
@lennybuttz2162
I was 15 when this song first came out, almost 50 years later and it still sends chills down my spine.
@pedrofernando2494
Lady You are a Blessing 😇 thank you Dolly Parton your Music continues to fill up our lives with Joy and Inspiration ..God bless you 🙏🎶🎙️
@jaredmatthews252
The Mantooth boys from sevierville are sending you Love girl. Go Dolly!
@amiewil7484
Beautiful Dolly ♥️
@kobdal6527
Wow Dolly this gets more amazing every time
@kimkrause8590
That song still sends chills down my spine wow Dolly this gets more amazing every time Love This Great song AMEN Hallelujah 🙏🏼❤️ Lady You are a Blessing 😇 thank you Dolly Parton Your Music continues to fill up our lives with Joy and inspiration God Bless you 🙏🏼🎶🌹💋💯💯💯💯💯💯🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩😍😍😍😍😍😍🎤🎼🎵🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹😻🥰🥰😻😻😻😻😻🥰🥰🥰🥰😘😘😘😘😘😘💘💘💘💘💘💘💚💛🧡❣️💞❤️💜💕♥️💓💗💖💝💘
@chepkoechyael9524
I love this musical iconic woman