Some people are universally acknowledged even if only their first names are used in conversation. Who comes to mind? Jesus, most notably, right? What about those among the human race, who were just human? Maybe Rocky (played by Sylvester Stallone)? How about presidents whose initials prompt familiarity, like FDR, or JFK? Here’s one that may ring a bell with some – Carman. He’s the composer of the bouncy, celebratory “Bless the Name of Jesus”, that he wrote in 1983 when he was 27 years old. He is described as a ‘cultural phenomenon’, and an ‘American original’, with a unique blend in his Christian music performances that is hard to classify. Unique, phenomenon, original. Sound like anyone else?
He was born Carmelo Domenic Licciardello – maybe that’s why he’s known more simply as Carman. From his upbringing in New Jersey, he had a music and entertainment gene fostered by his mother, in whose band he played the drums. He frequented places like Philadelphia and Atlantic City to exercise his show business skills as a teenager, and was actually approached by a Mafia crime family, who offered to help promote his career. But, off to Las Vegas he went, without making any commitment to the ‘family’. While away, he attended an Andrae Crouch concert, where he was stirred as a young man to give himself up to Christ, a great disappointment to his potential promoters, but a boon to the Christian music and entertainment genre for the next several decades. By 1980, in his early 20’s, he was making Christian music records, and shortly thereafter wrote the song “Bless the Name of Jesus”. What’s the specific story behind the song, you ask? It must be known, by Carman certainly, and perhaps he tells it during his performances. His official website says ‘…Carman's repertoire..is what we could only identify as a 'story song'’. He mixes multiple presentational styles - including comedy, drama, satire, preaching, funk, rock, and others – to get the message of his life across. Judging by the song’s lyrics and what one can hear and see in videos, he was overjoyed with the Lord at that time, and wanted to draw others who would listen into this festival atmosphere. It’s a song that prompts worshippers to sing His praise over and over, not unlike what we’ll sing throughout Eternity.
Carman is a one-name guy, promoting a God named simply, Jesus. What Carman does may look pretty daunting, for one person. He’s a singer, dancer, writer, and an actor (in no less than two movies, as well as many other productions), and has even been politically active (spurring reportedly one million people to sign a petition pushing a constitutional amendment for school prayer). And, he’s established two non-profit organizations – Carman Ministries and Carman World Outreach. It may seem like his life is pretty complicated, with a spotlight that is often focused on him as the stage performer. Yeh, gobs of people may take notice of him. But, looking at all he does, it seems this one-name guy is really just a mirror for another.
Biographic information on the composer at these sites:
Here’s a link that shows two verses of the song that may not often be heard, along with the well-known chorus: http://www.higherpraise.com/lyrics/cool/b/9289.htm
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