"Mary, Did You Know?" is a Christmas song with lyrics written by Mark Lowry and music written by Buddy Greene. It was originally recorded by Christian recording artist Michael English on his self-titled debut solo album in 1991 (English and Lowry were both members of the Gaither Vocal Band at the time). It reached No. 6 on CCM Magazine's AC Chart. 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, being recorded by many artists over the years across multiple genres.
Video Mary, Did You Know?
Kenny Rogers & Wynonna Judd version
A duet version 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
Maps Mary, Did You Know?
Clay Aiken version
"Mary, Did You Know?" is Clay Aiken's fifth single for his Christmas album Merry Christmas with Love. Aiken performed the song on The Tyra Banks Show.
Chart positions
Cee Lo Green version
"Mary, Did You Know?" is the eleventh track on Cee Lo's Christmas album Cee Lo's Magic Moment. On December 15, 2012 the song appeared on the US R&B Songs chart at number 22. This version is the slowest of all. It also served as the closing credits song to the 2014 20th Century Fox movie Son of God.
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Pentatonix version
"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.
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Other notable versions
- 1993: Kathy Mattea on her Christmas album Good News, which won a Grammy Award for Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album
- 1995: Vickie Winans recorded the song for her self-titled album
- 1997: Gary Chapman on his Christmas album This Gift
- 1998: Donny Osmond on his album Christmas at Home
- 1999: Natalie Cole on her album The Magic of Christmas
- 1999: Reba McEntire on her Christmas album The Secret of Giving
- 2000: The Gas House Gang on their album Some Children See Him...
- 2000: Lea Salonga on her album The Christmas Album
- 2001: Rescue on their album The First Christmas
- 2001: Hayley Westenra on her second album, My Gift to You, released in New Zealand and Australia, by Universal New Zealand label; also included as a bonus song on a special UK version of her first international album, Pure (2003); and performed it on her 2004 PBS Great Performances special, Live from New Zealand, which was released on DVD.
- 2004: Glen Campbell recorded the song on his album Love Is the Answer: 24 Songs of Faith, Hope and Love.
- 2004: The Katinas on their album Family Christmas
- 2005: Jeff Fenholt on his album "Down from His Glory" ... and more
- 2006: Stan Whitmire on his album Christmas Around the Piano
- 2007: Kimberley Locke on her album Christmas
- 2008: Kutless on BEC Recordings album X Christmas
- 2008: MC6 A Cappella on their album Christmas
- 2009: Jerry Douglas on his album Jerry Christmas
- 2010: Aled Jones on his album Aled's Christmas Gift
- 2010: Jessica Simpson on her album Happy Christmas
- 2011: Rascal Flatts released a version of the song as a single, which appears on the 2012 compilation A Very Special Christmas: 25 Years Bringing Joy to the World
- 2012: Don Moen on his album Christmas: A Season of Hope (a duet with its composer, Buddy Greene)
- 2012: Jeremy Camp on his album Christmas: God with Us
- 2012: Scotty McCreery on his album Christmas with Scotty McCreery
- 2013: Mary J. Blige on her album A Mary Christmas
- 2013: Linda Eder on her album Christmas Where You Are
- 2013: The Oak Ridge Boys on their album Christmas Time's A-Comin'
- 2014: Sanam Puri as solo cover
- 2014: The slowest version of this song played in the credits of the film Son of God
- 2015: India.Arie on Christmas with Friends; a duet with Gene Moore, Jr.
- 2015: Jordan Smith on The Voice's season nine finals. This version debuted and peaked at No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and at No. 2 on the Billboard Holiday 100 chart on the week ending January 2, 2016.
- 2015: Peter Hollens published a six-voice a cappella version on Youtube
- 2015: The Braxtons on their album Braxton Family Christmas
- 2015: Danny Gokey on his album Christmas Is Here
- 2016: Straight No Chaser (group) on their album I'll Have Another... Christmas Album (Straight No Chaser album)
- 2016: Voctave on their album The Spirit of the Season (feat. composer Mark Lowry)
- 2016: Beckah Shae on her album Let It Snow
- 2017: Zara Larsson on the soundtrack of the CGI-animated Christmas film The Star
Musical
The song was also used as the basis for a stage musical, also titled Mary, Did You Know and written by Bruce Greer, that won the 1999 Dove Award for Musical of the Year.
Criticism
"Mary, Did You Know?" remains a popular piece of Christmas music, although some criticize it for what they perceive as a lack of Scriptural or theological depth. For example, Lutheran writer Holly Scheer, in addressing the rhetorical-question title of the song writes that those familiar with "the biblical account of Christ's conception and birth shouldn't need to ask if Mary knew, because the Bible plainly tells us she did." 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."
References
External links
- Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
Source of article : Wikipedia
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