A Few of OUr Favorite Things: Todd Agnew's Do You See What I See?

Today as we spin the Wheel of Advent Content, we land on “A Few of Our Favorite Things.” Today, let’s visit Chad’s favorite obscure Christmas album:  Do You See What I See? by Todd Agnew (and friends). The album was made in 2006, and nearly every song is an original piece—this isn’t a Christmas album where they just do yet another tired remix of “Go Tell It On The Mountain” or a peppy version of “Silent Night.” This album is playful, prayerful, and poetic.

Todd Agnew is probably not the most household of names, and you would be forgiven if you said, “Who in the world is that?” He’s a humble artist who never really tried to compete in a world full of Chris Tomlins, dc Talks, and Steven Curtis Chapmans. Some listeners do not like his low, gravelly voice—if you are looking for the vocal gymnastics of Mariah Carey, keep moving. For me, I love the thoughtfulness and reflection of Agnew. I had him as a worship leader at a youth camp once, and he was one of those guys that didn’t want the spotlight, didn’t just play whatever worship song was trendy, and always aimed his songs back at a carefully crafted theological idea that helped you see something in a new and different way. His method of leading worship didn’t take you on an emotionally-manipulated trip through well-timed key changes; his method led you on a journey to think about things in a different way, and maybe feel things in new ways, too. And that is exactly what this Christmas album does.

The back cover of the CD describes the album this way: “What did the first Christmas look like to the people involved? They didn’t get the benefit of 2000 years of understanding the context. They just had to live it. The gospels record their amazement, confusion, heartbreak, and joy. My friends and I have the privilege of recording songs that we hope bring their wonder into our world.” What I love about this album is that it explores so much of the emotion of the characters in the story, and it does it in deep and imaginative ways. The songs are almost entirely written from a first-person perspective of some character within the birth stories.
           
As a sample, here are a few examples. The innkeeper track, “No Room,” opens with this line: “There’s no room, no room in the inn // if you were someone important, we might try to fit you in // but there’s no room in here for you.” Or consider some of these lines from “Did You Know?” (which is not a “Mary, did you know” track, but more of a “Jesus, did you know” track): “Were Mary’s the first eyes you saw // or did you remember choosing that shade of brown?” “Did you know? Did you shudder each time your hammer struck a nail?” Or my favorite, “Did you remember the brightness of your glory // or did you just notice it was cold and dark here?”
           
​There is a track that explores the helplessness and inadequacies that Joseph must have felt as the father of the creator of the world. There is a Magnificat track that understands the economic justice and revolutionary language of that subversive song. There is even a lullaby from Elizabeth to her son, John. Or, if you want to hear a bit, here is “Did You Know”, quoted above. 

If you feel the itch to buy a Christmas album, this is a good choice, and definitely one of my favorite parts of Christmas!