Dolly Parton was known for her strong religious beliefs, but even she faltered sometimes. In fact, in 1975, Parton released “The Seeker”, about her spiritual struggles. The song, which she wrote by herself, is part of Dolly, Parton’s 16th solo album.
“The Seeker” says, “I am a seeker, a poor sinful creature / There is no weaker than I am / I am a seeker and you are a teacher / You are a reacher, so reach down / Reach out and lead me, guide me and keep me / In the shelter of your care each day.”
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“This song is for those people who are struggling for some kind of truth,” Parton says in her 2020 book, Songteller. “It could even be about people who are not religious. People look for whatever that meaning of life is, whether you call it science or whether you call it ‘higher knowing,’ or whether it’s just seeking that better part of you. As for me, it came to me at a time when I was going through a lot. I felt like I wasn’t being as good a Christian as I should have been. Not that I have ever been, but I believe that I do my best.”
What Dolly Parton Says About Writing “The Seeker”
Parton never shied away from letting people know about her faith. But in “The Seeker”, she never mentions God, nor did she realize the unintended omission until much later, when someone pointed it out.
“That’s when I thought that it really is for everybody,” Parton explains. “I think it was God’s will for me to write that song.”
“The Seeker” became a Top 5 single for Parton. It also became a moderate crossover hit. Interestingly, “The Seeker”, along with all of the other songs on Dolly, was produced by Porter Wagoner. “The Seeker” was released one year after “I Will Always Love You”, a massive hit that she wrote about leaving Wagoner’s The Porter Wagoner Show. That song was on her Jolene album. After Dolly, she released The Bargain Store, which was produced by Wagoner and Bob Ferguson.
Dolly also includes “We Used To”, a Top 10 single for Parton. “The Seeker” was Parton’s last Top 5 single until 1977. That year, she released “Here You Come Again“, the title track of an album that also came out in 1977. “Here You Come Again” also became Parton’s first Top 5 pop hit.
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More Behind The Song
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Portrait of country singer Eddie Rabbitt in Memphis, Tennessee, May 31, 1981. (Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images) -
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Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images