Carman Dominic Licciardello was born on January 19, 1956 in
Trenton, New Jersey. He became a
Christian at an Andre Crouch concert.
Carman’s first album was 1980’s GOD’S NOT FINISHED WITH ME. The next year he was invited to tour with The
Bill Gaither Trio. Over the years he has
released some truly great albums including 1989’s REVIVAL IN THE LAND, 1991’s
ADDICTED TO JESUS, and 1993’s THE STANDARD.
His latest offering is ANTHEMS OF A CHAMPION (2013, Sparrow
Records). It is essentially a greatest
hits with four new recordings of old favourites and one new song.
‘Great God’ one of four songs from THE STANDARD starts
things off. On this track Carman has
vocal assistance from Dale Thompson of Bride, Ashley Cleveland, and Music City
Mass Choir. This rock anthem describes
many of God’s unique characteristics: “God holds up the universe/God sustains
the soul/God exalts and God puts down/God is in control/God’s glory is
eternal/God is love and grace/God knows all, sees all, is all/God is to be
praised/He’s a great God, a righteous King/Ruler over everything/He’s a great
God, we will proclaim/Honor and glory to his name.” ‘Mission 3:16’ musically should be the theme
song to an intriguing spy movie! This
song is lyrically in accordance with
Jesus’ Great Commission: “He did not come into the world/But to save
us/He came so He could set us free/Not enslave us/Freely we received/Freely we
must give/The message of salvation to live/Yes to live/We’re on, we’re on, we’re
on a mission/And we’ll go/Where the brave dare to fly.”
The beautiful song of praise ‘Serve the Lord’ is from 1993’s
THE ABSOLUTE BEST. It was produced by
Canadian icon David Foster who has also produced for the likes of Bryan Adams,
Whitney Houston, and Shania Twain. This
song finds Carman testifying: “I believe the Son of God/Was crucified upon the
tree/Laid within a borrowed tomb/Not far from Calvary/I believe He rose up from
the dead/Alive for all to see/That is why all the more I will serve Him/I have
made my decision/I have staked my claim/I have drawn a line in the sand/And I’ll
not be ashamed/With the world behind me/And the cross before/By the grace of
God/I will serve the Lord.” ‘Who’s in
the House’ finds Carman putting his cool on and rapping: “When He’s in your
life you want to dance, dance/We’re kickin’ it for Christ/Dance, dance, we’re
kickin’ it for Christ/Ya’ll tell me who, who, who, who, who?/Tell me who’s in
the house? J. C. (4X)/Jesus Christ is in the house (2X)/Jesus Christ, He’s in
the house today.” George Cocchini plays
guitar and Phil Madeira the organ.
‘A Witch’s Invitation’ one of Carman’s signature talking
story songs is up next. The song
appropriately features eerie instrumentation.
Carman receives a letter from a male witch, Isaac Horowitz, inviting him
over. Carman’s first instinct is not to
go, but the Holy Spirit tells him he needs to go and witness. Isaac’s house has pentagrams, horoscope
signs, a Ouija board, and a dungeons and dragons game. Isaac brags of everyone he’s cured and cursed
and asks Carman: “What can your God do?”
Carman warns him “The time will come when you’ll be lying in bed
wheezing like a dying animal and those spirits lay claim to the rights they own
to your soul.” Carman goes on to say
that he is bought with the blood of Jesus and that his name is in the Lamb’s
book of life. Nervously Isaac asks
Carman to leave. Carman ends this tale
with a bit of humour: “Next time think twice before you rumble with a man of
God!/And by the way, thanks for your uhh…witch’s invitation.”
The quirky ‘No Monsters’ was co-written with Tommy Sims and
is from 1995’s R.I.O.T. This song is
about taking authority over the forces of evil: “Don’t want no monsters in my
house tonight/Don’t want no monsters in my house/You won’t get me screamin’/You’re
nothing but a demon/It’s time for you to go now/I am a temple of the Holy
Ghost/And I’m protected by the Lord of Hosts/Get out in the Name of Jesus
Christ/I don’t want no monsters in my house tonight.” A new recording of ‘I Feel Jesus’ featuring
Hope Loftis is next. It is a reverent
song of worship: “I feel Jesus (3X)/I feel Jesus in this place/Yes my soul does
burn within me/I feel Jesus in this place/I feel Jesus (2X)/I feel Jesus in
this place.”
Another new recording follows. ‘Radical Suite’ is comprised of two songs
that both have a groovy sound. ‘That’s
my King’ declares who Christ is: “The Bible says/He’s King of the Jews/King of
Righteousness/King of Glory too/He’s enshrined as sovereign King in every
way/He’s King of the Heavens/Of the ages and more/He’s King of all Kings/And
Lord of all Lords/Now that’s my King/And I wonder does anybody know him today?” ‘Radically Saved is a song that shows Carman
is proud and strong in his faith: “Jesus Christ is Lord/And God’s still on the
throne/There is power in the blood/And I’m saved to the bone/If the devil comes
against me/He’s gonna feel some pain/I can bind him, bruise him, cast him
out/By the power of Jesus’Name/No longer on the outside/On the inside I now
stand/I’m sold out/The whole route/Completely born again/I believe on the third
day/Jesus rose from the grave/The world thinks I’m crazy/I am just radically
saved.”
Carman wrote the words and music to ‘America Again’, while
Michael Omartian provides the underscoring.
This song is quite a monumental undertaking and is part spoken word,
part singing. Lyrically, it laments the
drifting away of the U.S. from Christian values and morals: “But something
happened since Jefferson called the Bible the cornerstone/For American liberty
then put it in our schools as a light/Or since ‘Give me liberty or give me
death’, Patrick Henry said/Our country was founded on the Gospel of Jesus
Christ/We eliminated God from the equation of American life/Thus eliminating
the reason this nation first began/From beyond the grave/I hear the voices of
our founding fathers plead/You need God in America again.” This song is most definitely not politically
correct. It takes aim at pornography,
homosexuality, and premarital sex. While
Carman does not do so in a hateful manner, one wonders if he couldn’t have
exercised a bit more compassion in his delivery.
Music City Mass Choir and Christ Church Youth Choir appear
on the next song ‘Sunday School Rock’, while Dan Huff plays guitar. This song has a cheery old school rock and
roll feel to it with a sing-along chorus: “I love Jesus (I love Jesus)/Yes I do
(Yes I do)/I love Jesus (I love Jesus)/How ‘bout you? (How ‘bout You?)/I love
Jesus/Yes I do/ I love Jesus/How ‘bout you?”
A new recording of an emotional golden oldie from 1984, ‘Lazarus Come
Forth’ follows. It begins with Christ
speaking: “I am the resurrection and the Life/He that believeth in me/though he
were dead/Yet shall he live.” What
hope-filled words! The majority of the
song is about Lazarus’ experience in the afterlife where a testimony meeting
breaks out. Abraham says God gave his
barren wife a child. Solomon was granted
wisdom. Job was healed. Jonah was given a second chance. Daniel was saved from lions. “The Holy Ghost hit King David/He just
started to dance.” As Lazarus is
testifying of all he’s seen the Lord do, he is dramatically called back to
earth by Jesus!
‘Addicted to Jesus’ is a funky hip-hop song featuring DC
TALK. It speaks of how people are
addicted to TV, booze, and drugs, and offers an alternative: “Stand tall, stand
tall, stand strong, stand strong/Say it loud, say it loud, say it long/Bust the
devil up in pieces/Get alive with God/Addicted to Jesus.” A remake of Carman’s best known story song ‘The
Champion’, which originally bowed in 1985, is next. It is over seven minutes long and essentially
describes a cosmic battle for souls in the heavenlies in the form of a boxing
match between Satan and Christ with God the Father overseeing. God says: “Now here’s the rules. He’ll be wounded for their transgressions,
bruised for iniquities.” “When He said ‘By
His stripes they’re healed’, the devil shook!
He screamed ‘Sickness is my specialty.
I hate that healing junk!’ God said ‘You shut your face, I wrote the
book!’” I love that line! Satan sneers “You’re dead meat, Jesus, I’m
gonna bust you up tonight!” Jesus says: “Go
ahead, make my day!” I like that line
too! Satan and his demons rejoice when
Christ is killed and then are bewildered when He is resurrected! Carman joyfully ends the song: “Captivity has
been set free/Salvation bought for you and me/Cause Satan is defeated/And Jesus
is the Champion!”
‘Faith Enough’ from 2000’s HEART OF A CHAMPION is a
pop/dance song with a highly inspirational message: “Don’t say it can’t be
done/You can do anything with God/There by your side/You’re gonna fly/If you
believe tonight/Storm down the doors/Tomorrow is yours/Say it, long as you have
faith enough/Pray through the night/You’ll be alright/Say it, long as you have
faith enough.” A new song, ‘The Flag’,
ends the album. If you don’t like the
patriotic nature of John Schlitt’s song ‘Faith and Freedom’, you won’t like
this song either! It begins with words
from the Pledge of Allegiance and continues: “Red stands for courage/White
stands for truth/Blue for perserverance to a call/This flag sends a message to
friend and foe alike/That America’s still the greatest land of all…We’re
Americans, there’s nothing we can’t do.”
Shortly after releasing ANTHEMS OF A CHAMPION Carman
announced he is currently fighting myeloma cancer which is incurable. He says: “I will not leave this world quietly
and I want the devil to know that he put cancer on absolutely the wrong
Italian.” This latest collection of
songs, some updated to sound more contemporary, is a good way to introduce this
talented and varied artist to a new generation of listeners. It is also a great nostalgia trip for long
time fans. If you are looking for music
to help you in spiritual warfare this is an album for you. I’m rating it 90%. For more info visit www.carmantv.com and
Facebook.com/CarmanLicciardello.