Dolly Parton’s “Hello God” is a plea after the 9/11 Attack

“Hello God” is one of Dolly Parton’s top hits that is included in her thirty-ninth solo studio album, “Halos & Horns,” released on July 9, 2002. The album is one of Parton’s critically acclaimed bluegrass trilogy in her experimentation with bluegrass and folk sounds. 

In 2022, Dolly Parton performed “Hello God” at the 36th annual Country Music Awards in Nashville, TN, backed by The Church Christ Choir of Nashville. 

“Halos & Horns” was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Album in 2003. It is one of Dolly’s albums that highlights storytelling with her spiritual inclinations. The album peaked at #60 on the Country charts. 

Meaning Behind the Song 

“Hello God” was written just one day after the 9/11 attacks. Within the morning of September 11, 2001, Dolly was shooting a video for a modern ride at Dollywood near Pigeon Fashion, Tennessee. Since they had no cellphone reception, they were unaware of the tragic events unfurling in New York City until a lady ran out of the farmhouse shouting about the Twin Towers. A few individuals on the film team were city residents who were panicking about the fate of their cherished ones.

As she was writing the song, Dolly said that she felt that the song was “given to her. As she wrote the lyrics, she also realized how fragile we are and how small life really is. She had an awareness that everything can change in a blink of an eye.  

To Dolly Parton, “Hello God” is one of those songs that “write themselves.” To her, it was a song that called out to her, compelling her to write it. The lyrics of the song became a prayer and a poignant plea to the divine, openly asking questions about the situation of the world. It is also a sincere request for guidance, peace, and understanding. 

Her song invites listeners into an intimate conversation with the divine, making it a deeply moving and resonant experience. 

Watch the video of “Hello God” by Dolly Parton as a time of reflection.