Låtskrivare ; Pat Alger, Larry Bastian, Garth Brooks; Artist (original): Garth Brooks
Singel släpptes: 12/10-1990; På countrylistan: #1 under 2 veckor i slutet av januari 1991
Albumet: ’No Fences’ som släpptes i augusti 1990
Låten bygger på en verklig händelse i oktober 1989, då Garth och hans fru Sandy mötte den flamma från High School som Garth och andra åtrådde. Det blev en mindre chock för hon var så förändrad. Garth har senare sagt att trots allt sov han bra på natten när han jämförde med sitt äktenskap. Den händelsen innebar att Garth och Pat Alger (som också hade varit med om nå’t liknande) började skriva på låten. Det såg bra ut men ändå saknades något klatschigt i refräng och en bra titel. De kontaktade en annan låtskrivare Larry Bastien. Garth, Larry och hans fru gick på en promenad nerför 18th Avenue när Larry plötsligt sa:
‘Oh, that’s simple. This song should be called ‘Unanswered Prayers’ because some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.’
Så här blev texten
Just the other night at a hometown football game
My wife and I ran into my old high school flame
And as I introduced them the past came back to me
And I couldn’t help but think of the way things used to be
She was the one that I’d wanted for all times
And each night I’d spend prayin’ that God would make her mine
And if he’d only grant me this wish I wished back then
I’d never ask for anything again
Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers
Remember when you’re talkin’ to the man upstairs
That just because he doesn’t answer doesn’t mean he don’t care
Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers
She wasn’t quite the angel that I remembered in my dreams
And I could tell that time had changed me
In her eyes too it seemed
We tried to talk about the old days
There wasn’t much we could recall
I guess the Lord knows what he’s doin’ after all
And as she walked away and I looked at my wife
And then and there I thanked the good Lord
For the gifts in my life
Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers
Remember when you’re talkin’ to the man upstairs
That just because he may not answer doesn’t mean he don’t care
Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered
Some of God’s greatest gifts are all too often unanswered…
Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers
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Till Sist:
Garth har skrivit följande på ett konvolut:
‘» This is probably the truest song I have ever been involved with as a writer. This actually happened to my wife and me when we went back home to Oklahoma. Every time I sing this song, it teaches me the same lesson.
.. happiness isn’t getting what you want – it is wanting what you’ve got.»