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"Mary, Did You Know?" is a Christmas song addressing Mary, mother of Jesus, with lyrics written by Mark Lowry in 1985, and music written by Buddy Greene in 1991. It was originally recorded by Christian recording artist Michael English on his self-titled debut solo album in 1991. At the time, English and Lowry were members of the Gaither Vocal Band, and Greene was touring with them. The song reached number six on CCM Magazine's Adult Contemporary Chart. In 1993, the second singer (and first secular artist) to record the song was Country singer Kathy Mattea on her album Good News, which won the Grammy Award for Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album. Lowry would record the song several times himself, most notably with the Gaither Vocal Band on their 1998 Christmas album, Still the Greatest Story Ever Told.

The song has since gone on to become a modern Christmas classic, recorded by hundreds of artists over the years, across multiple genres. Several recordings have reached the top ten in various Billboard charts. The song encourages contemplation of the relationship between Mary and her son, although some religious commentators have criticized the lyrics.

Music and lyrics

"Mary, Did You Know?" was originally released in the key of E♭ minor, with a tempo of 53 beats per minute in
₄ meter, based around a chord progression of E♭m–D♭–A♭m7–B♭7sus4–B♭7. The lyrics evolved from a series of questions that Lowry scripted for a Christmas program at his church:

I just tried to put into words the unfathomable. I started thinking of the questions I would have for her if I were to sit down & have coffee with Mary. You know, "What was it like raising God?" "What did you know?" "What didn't you know?"

None of the questions are answered in the song. Instead, the lyrics poetically invite the listener to contemplate the relationship between Mary and her newborn divine son, even if her faith and awareness did not yet include the details of what would unfold.

The text has received both praise for reflecting the love of God, as well as criticism for perceived ambiguity or lack of theological depth. Baptist theologian Michael Frost suggested that it was the "most sexist Christmas song ever written... It treats her like a clueless child... Could you imagine a song asking Abraham 17 times if he knew he'd be the father of a great nation?" Robert McTeigue and Michelle Arnold, both Roman Catholic commentators, have questioned a particular line of text ("This Child that you delivered will soon deliver you") that might confuse or challenge the belief that Mary herself was conceived without sin. On the other hand the Roman Catholic author Karl Erickson implored people to praise Mary, Did You Know? as a "beautiful expression of God’s love for all of us" and responded to criticism of the piece, stating that "Mary, Did You Know is a song and not a theological essay. Even as simple Christmas music, however, it does a fine job conveying the beauty and profound mystery of the Incarnation. Yes, there is some poetic license taken within the lyrics, but much less than is taken within innumerable other songs we are asked to sing regularly—Sing a New Church, for example." Lutheran clergyman Timothy Koch states that criticism of the song is unwarranted because Mary, Did You Know? is simply poetry using rhetorical questions and that it is "actually communicating to the singer and hearer the truths about Jesus", including doctrines of salvation, homoousious, and the theotokos.

In 2017, Toronto-based theologian Jennifer Henry wrote new lyrics that address the criticisms and echo Mary's words from the biblical Magnificat. These new lyrics have begun to spread in religious settings.

Stage musical

The song was used as the basis for a stage musical, written by David Guthrie and Bruce Greer and also titled Mary, Did You Know?, which won the 1999 Gospel Music Association Dove Award for Musical of the Year.

Charted cover recordings

Kenny Rogers and Wynonna Judd (1996)

A duet, recorded by Wynonna Judd and Kenny Rogers on Rogers' holiday album The Gift, peaked at No. 55 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in 1997.

Chart positions

Clay Aiken (2004)

"Mary, Did You Know?" is the fifth single from Clay Aiken's 2004 Christmas album Merry Christmas with Love. Aiken performed the song on The Tyra Banks Show.

Chart positions

CeeLo Green (2012)

"Mary, Did You Know?" is the eleventh track on CeeLo Green's Christmas album Cee Lo's Magic Moment. On December 15, 2012, the song appeared on the US R&B Songs chart at No. 22 and peaked three weeks later at No. 9. This version is the slowest of all. A remixed version also served as the closing credits song to the 2014 20th Century Fox movie Son of God.

Chart positions

Pentatonix (2014)

"Mary, Did You Know?" is the sixth track on Pentatonix's second Christmas album, That's Christmas to Me. The song both debuted and peaked at No. 26 on the weekly Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week ending December 6, 2014.

Chart positions

Jordan Smith (2015)

In 2015, Jordan Smith performed the song on the season nine finals of The Voice (U.S.). This version debuted and peaked at No. 24 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and at No. 2 on its Holiday 100 chart in the week ending January 2, 2016.

Zara Larsson (2017)

In 2017, Zara Larsson's cover of the song was included in the soundtrack to the film The Star, released on October 27, 2017. The cover went on to peak at number 55 on the Swedish charts during the 2018 holiday period, making another appearance for one week in 2019 at number 87.

Carrie Underwood (2020)

In 2020, Carrie Underwood included the song as the eighth track on her debut Christmas album, My Gift. Underwood's version charted on Billboard's Hot Christian Songs, peaking at No. 31. Underwood performed the song on The Kelly Clarkson Show.

Dolly Parton (2020)

In 2020, Dolly Parton covered the song on her album A Holly Dolly Christmas. It was released as the first single from the album on August 21, 2020. Parton performed the song for the first time during a livestream event on Amazon Music on November 13, 2020. She also performed the song during NBC's annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center tree-lighting ceremony on December 2 and again during her CBS special A Holly Dolly Christmas on December 6. Parton's version of the song peaked at number 49 on the Billboard Hot Christian Songs chart and number 18 on the Billboard Christian Digital Song Sales chart.

Chart positions

Maverick City Music (2022)

Maverick City Music's version of "Mary Did You Know?" impacted Christian radio in the United States on November 25, 2022, becoming the first single from the album. Maverick City Music released the radio version of "Mary Did You Know?" On December 2, 2022.

References

1. ^ "How Well Do You Know 'Mary Did You Know?'". Sheet Music Direct. Retrieved December 30, 2018. an interview with the songwriter, Mark Lowry ... originally conducted by Martha Lyon for AbsolutelyGospel.com
2. Brothers, Jeffrey Lee (2003). Hot hits: adult contemporary charts, 1978–2001 (1st ed.). Bloomington, IN: 1st Books Library. p. 86. ISBN 978-1-4107-3294-1.
3. "Mary, Did You Know? by Kathy Mattea". SecondHandSongs.com.
4. "Mary Did You Know sheet music". Sheet Music Direct. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
5. ^ McTeigue, Robert (December 9, 2015). "The Problem With 'Mary Did You Know'". Aleteia. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
6. ^ Greydanus, Steven D. (December 24, 2015). "What Did Mary Know and When Did She Know It?". National Catholic Register. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
7. ^ Erickson, Karl (30 December 2015). "What Did Mary Know?". Catholic 365. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
8. ^ Arnold, Michelle (December 12, 2011). "Mary, Did You Know?". EWTN. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017.
9. Frost, Michael (November 28, 2019). "Is this the least biblical, most sexist hymn ever written?". Retrieved December 5, 2019.
10. Koch, Timothy (14 December 2017). "Hold the Snark: An Apologetic for "Mary, Did You Know?"". The Beggars Blog. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
11. Henry, Jennifer (December 4, 2017). "Mary, did you know..." Church of the Holy Trinity, Toronto. Archived from the original on 2021-09-18. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
12. Winkel, Karen (December 15, 2019). "Mary Knew!". Community Spirit Church, Montrose, Colorado. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
13. Schott, Lee Roorda (December 11, 2019). "Rethinking Merry Gentlemen and Other Carols". Valley United Methodist Church, West Des Moines, Iowa. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
14. Wilcox, Diana L. (December 15, 2019). "Of Course Mary Knew!". Christ Episcopal Church, Bloomfield & Glen Ridge, New Jersey. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
15. Findley, Kathy Manis (December 14, 2019). "Mary's Spirit Song". God of the Sparrow. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
16. deVega, Magrey (December 20, 2019). "Midweek Message: Mary's Spirit Song". Hyde Park United Methodist Church, Tampa. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
17. Lige, Eric (December 7, 2020). "Mary Did You Know (reworked lyrics by Jennifer Henry)". Youtube. The Ethnos Project, San Diego. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
18. Cusic, Don (2010). Encyclopedia of contemporary Christian music: pop, rock, and worship. ABC-CLIO. p. 141. ISBN 978-0-313-34425-1. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
19. Mary, Did You Know? at AllMusic
20. "Kenny Rogers Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
21. Clay Aiken – Mary Did You Know – The Tyra Banks Show on YouTube
22. "Hot R&B Songs". Billboard. January 5, 2013.
23. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. January 5, 2013.
24. Official Video – Mary, Did You Know? - Pentatonix on YouTube
25. "Pentatonix – Mary, Did You Know?" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
26. "Pentatonix Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
27. "Pentatonix Chart History - Global 200", Billboard, retrieved December 29, 2021
28. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
29. "Pentatonix Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
30. "Pentatonix Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
31. "Pentatonix Chart History (Christian Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
32. "Pentatonix Chart History - Holiday 100". Billboard. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
33. Hermanson, Wendy (14 October 2017). "'The Star' Soundtrack Features Kelsea Ballerini, Jake Owen, More". Taste of Country. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
34. "Zara Larsson - Mary, Did You Know?". Swedish Charts. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
35. Wilson, Matthew (December 19, 2020). "Carrie Underwood Sings 'Mary, Did You Know?' on Kelly Clarkson Show". Outsider. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
36. "Dolly Parton Chart History (Hot Christian Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
37. "Dolly Parton Chart History (Christian Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
38. "Dolly Parton Chart History (Hot Christian Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
39. "Future Releases for Christian Radio Stations | Free New Songs from Music Artists". AllAccess.com. Archived from the original on November 24, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
40. Ford, Bradden (December 2, 2022). "Mary Did You Know? (Radio Version) (Single) by Maverick City Music | CD Reviews And Information | NewReleaseToday.com". NewReleaseToday. Archived from the original on December 4, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
41. "Maverick City Music Chart History (Hot Christian Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
42. "Maverick City Music Chart History (Christian Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
43. "Maverick City Music Chart History (Christian AC Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
44. "Maverick City Music Chart History (Hot Gospel Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 28, 2022.

• 1991 songs
• American Christmas songs
• Clay Aiken songs
• Cultural depictions of Mary, mother of Jesus
• Glen Campbell songs
• Kenny Rogers songs
• Marian hymns
• Pentatonix songs
• RCA Records singles
• Song recordings produced by Brent Maher
• Song recordings produced by Walter Afanasieff
• Songs about Jesus
• Wynonna Judd songs