Cover art for Unanswered Prayers by Garth Brooks

Unanswered Prayers

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Aug. 27, 19901 viewer54.4K views

Unanswered Prayers Lyrics

[Verse 1]
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

[Verse 2]
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

[Chorus]
Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers
Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs
And just because He doesn't answer doesn't mean He don't care
'Cause some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers


[Verse 3]
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

[Bridge]
And as she walked away, well, I looked at my wife
And then and there I thanked the good Lord for the gifts in my life
[Chorus]
Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers
Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs
And just because He may not answer doesn't mean He don't care
'Cause 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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Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What did Garth Brooks say about "Unanswered Prayers"?
Genius Answer

From the liner notes of The Hits:

Pat Alger and I worked on this song quite a long time without a hook, without the line. We passed it by Larry Bastian and it was as if it was meant to be. Larry, his wife Myrna and I were taking a walk down 18th Avenue, and he looked at me and said, “Oh, that’s simple. This song should be called ‘Unanswered Prayers’ because some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.” 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.

Credits
Produced By
Recorded At
Jack's Tracks Recording Studio Nashville Tennessee
Release Date
August 27, 1990
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