WATCH: Garth Brooks Chokes Up Singing His Song ‘Belleau Wood’

Garth Brooks says he usually only sings a small portion of the emotional “Belleau Wood” when it’s requested, but he pledged to get through it during his recent television special. He almost didn’t make it.

“Belleau Wood” is an original song about a Christmas ceasefire during World War I. The lyrics tell of an American man who hears a German soldier singing “Silent Night” from across the battle field. He stands up from his bunker to join him, knowing that if his trust is misguided he’d be killed. It’s a sweet moment, one that shows that in spite of our differences we have far more in common. However it ends with the cold realities of war settling back in.

“Heaven’s not beyond the clouds / It’s just beyond the fear / No, heaven’s not beyond the clouds / It’s for us to find it here,” Brooks sings.

A viewer requested “Belleau Wood” during Brooks’ and Trisha Yearwood‘s Garth & Trisha Live! A Holiday Concert on CBS. Video from the performance has just been released:

“I’m gonna get this,” Brooks says after a sniffle, midway through the short performance. Yearwood had excused herself from the moment, aware that it’s his special song. ET Canada‘s video package includes most of the performance, including the final guitar chord and Brooks pointing to his wife saying, “Almost made it. So sorry.”

Garth & Trisha Live! A Holiday Concert first aired on Sunday (Dec. 20). The country couple performed songs together and individually and casually interacted with fans and their staff. Brooks is a familiar face on television around the holidays having previously brought similar live shows to viewing audiences. In 2016, the country couple released Christmas Together, an 11-song collection of covers and originals.