On this day (Jan. 12) in 1991, Garth Brooks soared to the top of the charts with his hit "Unanswered Prayers," from his multi-platinum-selling album No Fences. The song, which Brooks co-wrote with Pat Alger and Larry Bastian, was a true-life account of an incident that the country superstar had been through with his then-wife, Sandy.

""Unanswered Prayers" was a big part of my heart that went out on that record," Brooks explains. "In October of '89, I saw my old high school flame. And I can say this now -- at the time I couldn't: 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.

Garth Brooks No Fences Cover Art
Capitol Nashville
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"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," the Oklahoma native adds. "It sure makes you sleep well at night."

"Unanswered Prayers," which was Brooks' fourth chart-topping hit, stayed at No. 1 for two weeks and helped keep No Fences in the No. 1 spot for several months. Brooks likes the song so much that he's included it on several of his compilation albums, including The Hits, Limited Series and Double Live.

Garth Brooks, "Unanswered Prayers" Lyrics:

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 doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care / Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers
Some of God's greatest gifts are all too often unanswered...
Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers

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