Mary, Did You Know?

The song, “Do You Hear What I Hear?” was featured in Friday’s blog. Its date of publication was 1962, and mention was made of its relatively late date for a popular Christmas song. Another very popular Christmas song with an even later date is, “Mary, Did You Know?” It sprang upon the modern scene as very popular from the very first time it was presented.
The words were written in 1984 by Mark Lowry, the music in 1990 by Buddy Green. Michael English was the first artist to record it in 1993, and many famous singers have followed. It is now well-known and recognized immediately wherever it is sung.
Mark is known as the comedian sidekick for Bill Gaither in his Homecoming Concert series. He was a member of the Gaither Vocal Band. He is a “good old Baptist boy from Houston.” He wrote many of the words as part of a Christmas musical in 1984. They were spoken by characters in the drama. Later, as he mused about those lines, he got to thinking about how appropriate they might be in a song, and the lyrics were created by him. Buddy Greene then put those lyrics to music.
The song begins by asking Mary, “Did you know that your baby boy will someday walk on water?” and ends by asking her if she knows that: “this sleeping child you’re holding is the great ‘I Am.'”
The questions asked are put to Mary, but the song is all about Jesus, the Son of God and the Savior of the world.