One of the Christmas songs that never leaves me dry-eyed is “Mary, Did You Know?” The music is simple but beautiful, and wonderful artists have covered the song, from Carrie Underwood to countless gospel groups and a cappella choirs. (The original lyrics are by Mark Lowry, the music by Buddy Greene.)

Its sentiment is simple and human, in the voice of a believer who’s staggered and stunned, as we should be, by the Incarnation’s mystery.

The speaker is asking Jesus’ mother Mary, a series of wonder-struck questions, pointing to Jesus’ miracles, His redemptive mission, and finally to His divinity.

Is the Song Heretical?

Now, I know many Christians who find this song annoying, who even call it heretical. That’s because Scripture itself tells us the answer to all these questions: Yes, Mary knew. The Angel Gabriel told her. But it’s not as simple as that. How deep an understanding did the angel impart to her? She knew she was carrying the Messiah. Was she granted by the angel a full, complex awareness of Jesus’ incarnate nature? Did the angel give her knowledge of His passion and resurrection? Scripture doesn’t answer that, though some Church traditions suggest that the answer is affirmative.

Even if we grant that, the speaker of the song might not realize it, so it’s perfectly legitimate for him as a simple believer to ask the Mother of God about this mystery. And a full, comprehensive answer won’t be given us on this side of the grave.

So stop bashing this lovely song, and just content yourself with the idea that at the end, Our Blessed Mother looks up at the speaker and mildly answers, “Yes.”

All that is by way of apologizing to people who love this song as I do. Because I just appropriated it to write a satirical song about the 2020 Election Steal. Don’t tell me I’m being irreverent. J.S. Bach himself would use the same melody for sacred and for secular occasions. In fact, do you know the great Lenten hymn “O Sacred Head Surrounded”? Bach employed it in the St. Matthew Passion (and recast it as a kind of triumphal victory march, in his Christmas Oratorio.) It took its original melody from a German secular love song. 

Biden, Did You Know?

Biden, did you know that the Democrats would give ballots to illegals?
Biden, did you know that the Democrats wiped the servers past retrieval?
Did you know that the Democrats could magically turn the tide?
That you wouldn’t need any voters to land you your landslide?

Biden, did you know? (Did you know?)
Biden, did you know?
Biden, did you know? (Biden, did you know?)
Biden, did you know? (Biden, did you know?)
Biden, did you know?

The dead would vote, the fake would vote, then they’d all vote again!
The pipes would break, the lights would fail, that was your real campaign!
Biden, did you know that the Soros folks would not permit your failure?  
Biden, did you know that the Democrats got help from Venezuela?

Did you know that the Democrats could pull off such a sham?
That the party which propped you up is the Greatest Scam?

Biden, did you know? (Biden, did you know?)
Biden, did you know? (Biden, did you know?)
Biden, did you know? (Biden, did you know?)

The Original

And here is the real song:
 

 
A blessed Advent to all.

John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream, and author or co-author of ten books, including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism. He is co-author with Jason Jones of “God, Guns, & the Government.”