Some of the best things in life are the things that didn’t happen to us. Country star Garth Brooks explores this theme in his 1991 No. 1 hit, “Unanswered Prayers”.
The song, which appears on Brooks’ album No Fences, is the “truest song” that Brooks has ever written as a writer. At least, that’s what he said in the liner notes for his 1994 compilation The Hits. That’s because the song stems from a real event that actually happened to him.
Videos by American Songwriter
The inspiration for “Unanswered Prayers” came when Brooks was back in his home state of Oklahoma with his first wife, Sandy Mahl. It was October of 1989, and Brooks and Mahl happened to run into his ex-girlfriend from high school.
It was then that Brooks had the realization that he truly didn’t feel that kind of love for her anymore. Although a life with her was something that he likely would have prayed for at the time.
“For the first two years of my married life, I really thought the girl that was for me was still that girl that was in high school,” Brooks admitted in The Garth Brooks Story. “And now, man, just the realization that what you have is the best for you, and the best you could ever do in your lifetime. It sure makes you sleep well at night.โ
How the Title of โUnanswered Prayersโ Came About
“Unanswered Prayers” was written by Brooks, Pat Alger, and Larry Bastian. For a while, Brooks and Alger had been working on the song, not knowing how to tie it all together. Then, Bastian contributed the title.
โPat Alger and I worked on this song quite a long time without a hook, without the line,” he told The Hits liner notes. “We passed it by Larry Bastian, and it was as if it was meant to be.”
โLarry, his wife Myrna, and I were taking a walk down 18th Avenue, and he looked at me and said, โOh, thatโs simple. This song should be called โUnanswered Prayersโ because some of Godโs greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.’โ
To this day, “Unanswered Prayers” is one of Brooks’ most popular recordings.
Photo by: James Schnepf/Getty Images
More Behind The Song
-
(Original Caption) Portland, Ore.: John Lennon (right) smiles as Paul McCartney speaks at press conference held after Beatles performance in Portland. (Photo by Bettman/Getty Images) -
Diamond Awards Festival – Sportpaleis – Antwerpen – Belgium – 11/1989 Neneh Cherry Photo gie Knaeps -
THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO — Episode 844 — Pictured: Musical guest Tracy Chapman performs on January 18, 1996 (Photo by Margaret Norton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images) -
NEW YORK, NY ย CIRCA 1988: George Harrison at the 1988 Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony circa 1988 in New York City. (Photo by Sonia Moskowitz/IMAGES/Getty Images) -
An MGM promotional photograph of country western music star Hank Williams who is to appear at the Arena with the Grand Ole Opry troupe on Thanksgiving Day, Cleveland, Ohio, November 15, 1951. (Photo by Underwood Archives/Getty Images) -
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 01 : Members of KANSAS film a music video June 1, 1982 in Los Angeles, California. Drummer Phil Ehart, Robby Steinhardt (left); Richard Williams (left rear), John Elefante (center), Dave Hope (right rear) and Kerry Livgren (right). (Photo by Getty Images/Bob Riha, Jr.) -
Portrait of Fastball (Joey Shuffiel, Miles Zuniga, Tony Scalzo) in San Francisco, California, USA, 1998. Photo ยฉ Anthony PIdgeon
